Last week’s blast of winter already has some Alabamians nervous about what next month’s power bills will look like.
A week of freezing temperatures, where people in large parts of Alabama were huddled indoors waiting for a thaw, came after some were already scratching their heads over their latest tally from the utility.
Here’s a look at the reaction on social media:
Alabama Power, for the record, hasn’t had a rate increase in about a year, after a series of adjustments the company attributed to federal mandates, inflation and economic conditions. In 2023, customers also got a refund.
Anthony Cook, communications principal with Alabama Power, said the greatest factor in the amount of your power bill is the amount of electricity used.
Customers are billed at different cycles, so some are already seeing the effects of low temps in January, while others are seeing power usage from the holidays, when some customers were home for more hours and using more electricity. Usage is usually higher in December.
Holiday lights, family gatherings, children at home from school, etc., translate into higher bills. December also saw a few days of higher average temperatures, and a few of the winter cold fronts one would expect. However, most people won’t see the effects of last week’s freezing temperatures on their bills until the end of the month.
“Recent extreme cold temperatures throughout the state have caused customers to use more electricity than they normally would, and in some cases, the results have been higher power bills,” Cook said.
“Customers used much more electricity this month to warm their homes while it was extremely cold outside. In fact, we expect customers will use 25% or more electricity this month compared to last January – and that is directly tied to the cold snap.
“The power bills our customers are seeing this month show how much power it took to keep our homes warm when it was 20 degrees outside for several days in a row. In fact, the average low temperature across much of Alabama was well below freezing for the first three weeks of the year,” Cook said.
Alabama Power has several billing assistance programs, including Project Share and the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program.
Customers can contact Alabama Power to set up payment arrangements or visit business offices, the website or call Customer Service at 1-800-245-2244.
