REGINA - SaskEnergy says customers can expect commodity rates to stay the same for the next two years.

The Crown corporation released its annual report for 2018-19, which highlighted an increase in customer demand for natural gas due to last winter's bitter cold.

It says February was 40 per cent colder than normal.

Although commodity rates will remain the same, SaskEnergy says the average residential homeowner can expect to pay $109 annually because of the federally-imposed carbon tax.

The Crown also announced that in August it will launch a furnace rebate program offering $650 towards the purchase of a new high-efficiency furnace.

Minister for SaskEnergy Bronwyn Eyre says customers can save on natural gas costs by upgrading their heating systems.