Frustrations with fuel adjustment cost increasing amid high utility bills

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WAFF) - WAFF knows many of you are frustrated by your electric bill increasing every single month. So we took your questions and concerns to Huntsville Utilities to figure out exactly what is going on with your rates.

“It’s robbery. That’s all it is,” said Huntsville resident Carlos England.

England feels the recent spike in his utility bill is unfair.

“They are going to cut it off if I don’t pay it. So I have to pay it.”

Due to a rise in fuel costs, the residential rate per kilowatt hour for June increased to 10 cents, then 11 cents in July, and it will increase another cent next month.

“The fuel cost adjustment exists so TVA can recover and adjust when they have to purchase the natural resource needed to generate the electricity,” said Communication and Public Relations Manager at Huntsville Utilities Gary Whitley.

He says utility rates fluctuate every month based on the price of natural gas and coal.

“This is not a profit increase for TVA or for Huntsville Utilities or any of the local power companies that purchase power from the Tennessee Valley Authority.”

Huntsville Utilities is tracking exactly how much energy you use because they have installed digital meters at almost every customer’s home.

“Our AMI project for our electric meters we practically complete with that project.”

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If your monthly consumption is an estimate, it will state that on your bill.

Whitley says there are things you can do to combat the rate fluctuations.

“Keep your thermostat set at 78, make sure you change your filters in your HVAC system, that you have had the HVAC system serviced for the year, and use ceiling fans to cool yourself.”

If you are looking for other ways to cut down on your bill, you can monitor your energy consumption down to a 15-minute interval.

You can find a video tutorial here.

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