If you go on social media you’ll see reports of local residents receiving a $600, $800 or even $1,000 CenterPoint Bill for last month.
In many comments online, they doubled from one month to the next, or more.
This has prompted outcry from the public and a campaign to fight CenterPoint Energy on these rate hikes. Direct Action Against CenterPoint Energy planned a protest for Friday evening, Aug. 1.
Mike Roeder senior VP of External Affairs said high bills are due in part, to the planned phase rate increase of an extra $18 average rate for a 799 kilowatt user. The bulk of it is thanks to the weather.
“This is shaping up to be one of the hottest summers since 2012,” he said. “We're coming off a string of 30-plus 90 degree days with high humidity, so that is driving consumption significantly higher. All our air conditioners are running more, and it's taking more for our appliances to run as well.”
Roeder said consumption varies widely by home. Factors include efficiency of the AC system, weatherization of the home and at what temperature the AC was set.
He said rate increases were needed to improve reliability. Covering prior investments was also part of their case.
These factors considered, Evansville Mayor Stephanie Terry said, “this really is a perfect storm right now.”
“This issue has been an ongoing issue for a number of years, and I think there's still a need to continue to fight and to continue to raise our voices around while we've got to do something different. It's reached a point that it just can't be tolerated.”
After a lengthy public process, the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (IURC) ultimately approved the rate case in February, brought by CenterPoint Energy leading to the phased-rate increase.
The first increase was an average of $7 per bill in February and the $18 in July. There will be another increase later this year.
The IURC has five members, each appointed by the sitting governor. Chairman Jim Huston announced his retirement meaning there will be a vacancy to fill.
Terry said they seized on the opportunity.
“We immediately went into action, sent a letter of recommendation to the governor, so that we can be sure that we have representation from southern Indiana on that commission,” Terry said. “It is the body that has complete authority on utility rates and utilities in our state, and so we want to be sure that we have a voice.”
They even hosted Governor Mike Braun at the Mayor’s Office and Terry spoke with the Secretary of Energy.
Roeder urges customers to contact CenterPoint immediately if they’re unable to pay their bill.
Terry wanted to remind residents to seek assistance programs — whether bill relief or home weatherization.
The Community Action Plan of Evansville (CAPE) has a low-income weatherization program.
According to Indiana Public Radio, the average resident in Indiana is paying $28 a month more for electricity than they did last year.