PORT ALLEN — Port Allen residents are paying higher-than-usual gas bills in March, the city's finance director said. 

Adrian Daigle told WBRZ that, due to the cold spell that struck the region, there was a huge demand for gas in January. The city, he said, purchases gas from natural gas producers but does not know the cost until after it is supplied to its customers.

As a result of the freezing weather earlier this year, the suppliers' cost of gas was 60% higher than in previous months, and the bill the city paid is passed onto its customers. The 60% increase, Daigle clarified, does not mean residents will pay 60% more on their gas across the board; the exact price customers pay is still based on their usage. 

The higher prices are reflected on bills that were sent out on March 2, which are due on March 26.