Skyrocketing Electric Bills Add To Texas Power Woes.
Texans who still had power during this week's frigid winter weather and near collapse of the state's energy grid are facing skyrocketing electrical bills. KPRC's Mario Diaz reports.
(KPRC/NBC News) — Texans who still had power during this week’s frigid winter weather and near collapse of the state’s energy grid are facing skyrocketing electrical bills.
“It’s more than some people’s mortgage or rent for sure,” says Sugar Land resident Eisac Rios.
Rios has been monitoring daily usage charges on his account, as well as his mother’s.
“For Sunday alone she used 112 kilowatts and it was $146. For Monday she used 70 kilowatts and she spent $573 dollars,” he says.
Rios says he uses Griddy, a provider who helps connect customers with electricity purchased at wholesale prices. Those prices tend to be cost effective most of the time but, not this month.
“My mom for this month alone from February to yesterday, she’s paying $1200,” Rios says.
On Monday Texas’ the Public Utility Council raised the price of wholesale electricity to $9000 a megawatt, which translates to about $9 a kilowatt. Griddy saw this coming and told customers to find a fixed rate plan, but Rios said no one would take him.
“They told us that we couldn’t switch it immediately, it would have to take several days at least online,” he says.
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