White House does victory lap on gas prices while other energy prices skyrocket

President Biden and top White House officials have loudly celebrated declining gasoline prices in recent days even as other energy prices are expected to rise throughout the winter.

Biden and Ron Klain, the White House chief of staff, have posted multiple tweets taking credit for recent price declines at the pump. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said gas prices have come down thanks to the president's actions.

"We see gas prices… has come down about $1.25 a gallon because of the work that this president has done," Jean-Pierre remarked Wednesday at a press briefing. "Let’s not forget the Inflation Reduction Act that only Democrats voted on, and that’s going to lower health care costs, that’s going to really put — put in a great effort in fighting climate — climate change and also lower energy costs."

Klain, meanwhile, sent multiple gas price-related tweets on Thursday morning, including one saying it was "time to update the narrative" with a link to an article about prices falling. The average price of gasoline nationwide fell to $3.76 per gallon on Thursday, about 11% higher than its level a year ago and 51% higher than it was when Biden took office in January 2021, according to AAA and federal data.

And Biden tweeted that there have been three consecutive weeks of declining pump prices, adding that "we’re moving in the right direction."

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However, other energy prices have surged over the last year and are projected to continue rising during the critical winter months ahead, according to multiple analyses. While gas prices have spiked 11% year-over-year, fuel oil surged 58.1%, utility gas service increased 33.1% and electricity prices went up 15.5% on an annual basis last month, Bureau of Labor Statistics data showed.

"For consumers, the problem is that a lot of people think that because gasoline prices have come down, the cost of home energy has come down as well, which isn't true," Mark Wolfe, executive director of the National Energy Assistance Directors Association (NEADA), told FOX Business in an interview. 

"They're different fuels and different dynamics," he continued. "So, as we go into winter, for families struggling with very high inflation for the last year, this is another issue that's going to fall."

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The NEADA issued a report last week projecting that the average cost of home heating will increase to $1,208, up 17.8% compared to last year, marking the second consecutive winter with major price hikes. The group added that the total cost of home heating nationwide would increase from $127.9 billion to a projected $151.6 billion, with increased costs particularly hitting lower-income households.

Wolfe told FOX Business that he was concerned many households would need to begin making tough decisions between basic necessities due to rising prices and inflation. He recommended that Americans take a variety of measures, like sealing leaky windows and upgrading home furnaces, to ensure cost savings.

In addition, the Department of Energy issued its winter outlook on Oct. 12, estimating that many U.S. households would spend more this year on energy in the winter compared to recent winters. Year-over-year, natural gas is expected to be 28% more expensive while heating oil, electricity and propane are expected to increase 27%, 10% and 5%, respectively.

"Higher forecast energy expenditures are the result of higher fuel prices, combined with higher heating demand because of a forecast of slightly colder weather than last winter," the report stated.

Natural gas prices would skyrocket 51% compared to last year if the winter is 10% colder than expected, the report added.

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The Consumer Energy Alliance blamed the higher heating prices on Biden administration policies limiting fossil fuel production and investment in a report of its own this month. The organization said consumers would spend at least $14.1 billion more on electricity and home heating costs this winter compared to last year.

"The higher energy prices are largely due to a lack of supply caused by policy decisions that have discouraged investment in American energy development and increased the cost of producing and delivering the energy we all need," the group said on Oct. 19. 

"Now, American families and businesses once again are subject to the whims of foreign nations that do not require the same rigorous environmental standards we do."

The White House didn't immediately respond to a FOX Business request for comment.