ROANOKE, Va. – Don’t be surprised to see your electric bill be a bit higher than what you’re used to in the next couple of months.
Back in September, we reported that Appalachian Electric Power (AEP) would be raising its rates on Nov. 1.
Now, many people are getting a firsthand glimpse as to what their monthly bill will look like with the new rates.
George Porter, a spokesperson for AEP, said with the winter just beginning, people should expect to see similar bills for a couple more months.
“We just started. Winter has just started, so we’re going to have a couple more months of cold temperatures. So it’s going to be the way it is until we can kind of get a break in the temperatures,” Porter said.
AEP said they had to raise the rates due to the rising cost of coal, natural gas, and purchase power within the last year following periods of inflation and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and war in Ukraine.
The math shows that for every 1,000 kilowatts of energy used, your bill will see a $20 increase.
“If you use 3,000 kilowatts of power last year, and you’re using it at the same amount this year … it’s still 60 bucks added to your bill,” Porter said.
Over Christmas weekend, thousands of people were without power. AEP said events like these can only decrease the bill a little, especially with the new rates.
“We only charge you for what you use. So if you were without power, we’re obviously not going to charge you for anything because you didn’t have power,” Porter said.
If you can’t pay your electric bill, then AEP said to call them. There are some programs available to help with paying the bill.
Porter also advises people to get on a more spread-out plan. These sorts of plans spread out the total yearly bill into 12 equal payments over 12 months. Most people with a regular plan will see their bills be higher in the winter and summer months.