Texans say energy companies are on a power journey.
Electric bills in the Lone Star State have risen to as high as $ 17,000 a month after a historic storm and power outage caused a huge demand for heat, according to reports Friday.
Dallas resident Ty Williams was hit by squatter shock when, according to local station WFAA, his monthly bill rose from $ 600 last month to nearly $ 17,000 so far.
‘How in the world can anyone pay for it? I mean you’re going from a few hundred dollars a month … there’s absolutely no way, it makes no sense, “Williams, who said he received the bill from energy company Griddy.
According to the station, the power price in Texas has in some cases risen from $ 50 to $ 9,000 per Megawatt due to the demand for supply and demand.
Customers with so-called “variable or indexed” electricity plans in Texas – the only state that operates its own unique stand-alone electricity network – are controlled in part by market demand.
That caused prices to rise as Texans who did not lose strength increased the heat amid fierce cold temperatures this week, an expert told NBC.
“The last thing a lot of people currently need is a higher electricity bill – and that’s unfortunately something that a lot of people will get stuck with,” said Matt Schulz, chief operating officer.
Royce Pierce, who lives in the suburb of Willow Park in Dallas, said the electricity bill for his three-bedroom home has risen to $ 10,000 over the past few days.
“We hope there will be relief,” Royce said. ‘It may be something we can skate and tackle as time goes on, but how many people can not? Very.”
Veronica Garcia, a Reliant Energy client in Mansfield, Texas, said the electricity bill for her one-bedroom apartment nearly doubled to $ 114 for her one-bedroom apartment.
“Hopefully if they are decent, they will not ask people for this because we had no control over the situation,” said Garcia, an administrative assistant at UT Southwestern Medical Center. “Hopefully I can beat the charges and do them the right thing.”
A Reliant Energy spokesman told NBC that it offers flexible payment options to support customers affected by the storm.
Griddy did not immediately respond to a request for comment.