Utility Bill Shock?

[1shott]

I wont see the effects of the sub freezing weather until I get the bills this month, the way the billing cycle works.

PEC for electric and centerpoint for gas.

My electric was about the same for last billing cycle, gas was $10 higher. The ones that roll in this month will be the kicker.

 

[RickN]

You could probably get @RickN cheap, but he's kind of stove up, too, lately.

The stove would need to run on gas. That seems to be what I have the most of anymore.

 

[swampratt]

Folks with heat pump systems probably didn't realize their emergency heat strips came on when the temps went below freezing which will really bump up that utility bill.

But most people that get a heat pump are all electric and if not a heat pump then the only heat would be the heat strips or coils in the electric furnace.
There is no new efficient way to make a coil hot with electric vs what was used 50 years ago to make it hot.

It is basically a toaster you blow air across the hot wires.

Unless I am wrong and new electric furnaces are better..But my research has not shown it.

I have a rent house that is all electric and I would love for the tenants to save coin on utilities.

 

[magna19]

Feb 09 - Mar 09 electric bill started first day of that cold spell and will be 165.00. Turned heat pump to emergency heat during the cold days. Ran fireplace during cold days. Heat pump back on after cold days. Total electric with 1650 sg ft. ran house 71 deg the whole billing period. I cant complain with 80-100 bucks most months for total electric. I turn heat pump off and to heat strips (emergency heat) if there is a chance heat pump fan can freeze up or temps below 30-35 for more than several hours. Have my own wood on property for fireplace so Im a big fan of the heat pump.

 

[SoonerP226]

FWIW, OEC had an article about the cold snap and such in the most recent edition of the Coop News. I intended to read it yesterday, but I forgot and left it at my folks' place.

 

[ICanFixIt]

The circuit breakers for the heat strips in my heat pump are 50 amp and 30 amp. That could be a whole lot of electricity. My bill was $10 higher than the month before the February Freeze of 2021.

 

[Dale00]

Not sure I believe this entirely....how is it possible that we are this vulnerable to extreme price hikes? Why do the utilities not have long term pricing agreements with natural gas suppliers??? Seems like a rigged or incompetent system. How much in the way of campaign contributions do the utilities and natural gas producers give to politicians to allow this windfall to be created... benefiting themselves at the cost of the public?

OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – How will Oklahoma pay for that artic blast in February? Today, legislators and government officials laid out a plan they say will ease the burden on rate payers to pay off the $4.5 billion bill.

Legislators and government officials have promised to protect the average rate payer from huge bills since the weather-induced energy crisis in February.

There is now a plan, but ultimately the tab will be picked up by the average Oklahoman.

Concerns over massive utility bills prompting action by state leaders
“Our utility system is not built for that type of weather. The bill is coming due and we are taking steps to ease the burden of paying it back,” said Senator James Leewright.

The Republican from Bristow is leading the legislative charge to find a way to pay off the estimated $4.5 billion that state utility companies owe after February’s storms.

“These charges are not going away but this is a way through extraordinary relief to bring that per customer impact down,” said Brandy Wreath of the Oklahoma Corporation Commission.

State officials say the state set up plan will use bonds to lengthen the amount of time Oklahoman have to pay back the cost of the energy.

Without help, officials say Oklahomans whose natural gas bill averages $100 a month could pay as close to $2000 a month for the next 8 months. But with the financing plan, they estimate the new bill would be closer to $150 a month.

For how long, officials say they don’t know.

“All efforts are being made to figure out a way that these extraordinary cost can be spread out over time to lessen the impacts of the bill.”
“They didn’t prepare and they paid way too much for their resources and now they want us to pay a billion dollars to cover their assets and that’s not fair,” said Mustang resident Steve Costin.

Costin says he is on a fixed income thanks to disability. He says the increased cost will hurt.

“They just expect me to pull it out of my assets that I don’t have to give,” said Costin.

“We think this is the best possible outcome in a bad situation,” said State Secretary of Energy Kenneth Wagner.

Cost of power from winter storm could be spread out over years
Officials say if this legislation passes, it will apply to the regulated companies like OG&E and ONG but will be available to smaller municipalities too, some of which say their February power bills exceed their standard entire annual budgets.

“After weeks of work, it’s the best option for rate payers, our economy and it’s the best options for Oklahoma,” said Leewright.

The plan could also be used by some school districts and rural hospitals.

These bills will need to go through the legislature and be signed by the Governor to go into effect.

https://kfor.com/news/local/oklahom...ocialflow&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=t.co

 

[steelfingers]

The possible increase may reach 2,000.00. If so, board members on the utilities should be taking zero salary and all perks be removed from now on. Private local utilities are a small Mafia. Trips to vegas with money to gamble with and much more.
No one looks into this crap.

 

[John6185]

Someone is going to have to educate me, I get a bill and it is for what I used and I pay it. Don't come back later and say I owe more, that isn't the way things are done. There is no way I could have used $2,000 worth of electricity in 11 days. That's around $181.00 per day. I think they are trying to take advantage of the customers.

 

[steelfingers]

Someone is going to have to educate me, I get a bill and it is for what I used and I pay it. Don't come back later and say I owe more, that isn't the way things are done. There is no way I could have used $2,000 worth of electricity in 11 days. That's around $181.00 per day. I think they are trying to take advantage of the customers.

I contacted PSO, my service provider that is owned out of Arkansas. No utility hike for me. We do averaging, something I suggest everyone do, and my next bill will actually be about 30 bucks lower next month. I think, with no knowledge, the increase will be utilities that were affected by the Texas blackout. Total infrastructure collapse. Those in that utility grid9s) and those that purchase from that grid(s) would see that cost past on to them. That is why congressional hearing as well as Texas house and senate are checking how much campaign donations they received from those utilities before they figure how to help people pay this off. Utility companies are mega corrupted (notice how I got mega in there). Cut corners to pay huge cooperate kickbacks and fringe to stock owners. Wonder why Biden is scrambling to get trillions in the infrastructure cares money. Infrastructure is utilities and not just roads and bridges that they show on tv. Great way to pull those utilities companies that have millions to his campaign from having investigations.
My opinion