High electric bills spark confusion for Duquesne Light Customers
Temperatures are heating up this summer and people are noticing their electric bills are too. “My electric bill is about $125 higher than it’s been over the past couple of years,” said Squirrel Hill resident Lyk Reese. “Without any difference in my usage.”Duquesne Light Company bills have sparked confusion and online buzz among customers over the last few months. “I’ve noticed it was so outrageous that I thought there was a mistake made and that they were trying to bill someone else,” said Katarina Coates of Penn Hills. DLC pointed to above average temperatures as a reason for the hefty bills. Power generation rates are also on the rise which the utility said is due in part to the rapid expansion of data centers combined with the retirement of aging power plants. A spokesperson for DLC said residential customers using default services saw a 15% increase to the “price to compare” as of June 1. They said it “equates to about a 6.8% increase to the overall monthly bill of a typical non-heating residential customer using 600 kWh.”“There’s absolutely no reason to be running my bill. I have the updated lights, I have the updated technology to conserve energy, I put everything in rest mode. It’s just kind of a slap in the face to be paying as much as I am,” said Coates about her $300 bill. Utilities like DLC purchase electricity from outside sources on behalf of customers. The company said customers can shop for an energy supplier themselves for the best rates. In the meantime, DLC recommends taking the following steps to save on electric bills: Set the thermostat to 78°F, especially during peak hours between 2-6 p.m. Use ceiling fans where possible. Unplug electric items, including appliances, when not in use. Use energy-efficient lighting (LEDs use less energy and last up to 25 times longer than incandescent bulbs). Close doors to rooms that are not being used. Track electric usage via DLC’s website and app. “I have solar panels on my house. My June bill was zero, my July bill was $10, last year it was zero,” Stephen Cohen told Pittsburgh’s Action News 4. Cohen ditched high electricity bills altogether when he made the switch to solar at his Squirrel Hill home a few years ago. “The fact that electricity cost more and more, and it makes perfect sense to invest once and reap the benefits as the years go by,” Cohen said. To learn more about shopping for a supplier, click here.
Temperatures are heating up this summer and people are noticing their electric bills are too.
“My electric bill is about $125 higher than it’s been over the past couple of years,” said Squirrel Hill resident Lyk Reese. “Without any difference in my usage.”
Duquesne Light Company bills have sparked confusion and online buzz among customers over the last few months.
“I’ve noticed it was so outrageous that I thought there was a mistake made and that they were trying to bill someone else,” said Katarina Coates of Penn Hills.
DLC pointed to above average temperatures as a reason for the hefty bills. Power generation rates are also on the rise which the utility said is due in part to the rapid expansion of data centers combined with the retirement of aging power plants.
A spokesperson for DLC said residential customers using default services saw a 15% increase to the “price to compare” as of June 1. They said it “equates to about a 6.8% increase to the overall monthly bill of a typical non-heating residential customer using 600 kWh.”
“There’s absolutely no reason to be running my bill. I have the updated lights, I have the updated technology to conserve energy, I put everything in rest mode. It’s just kind of a slap in the face to be paying as much as I am,” said Coates about her $300 bill.
Utilities like DLC purchase electricity from outside sources on behalf of customers. The company said customers can shop for an energy supplier themselves for the best rates.
In the meantime, DLC recommends taking the following steps to save on electric bills:
- Set the thermostat to 78°F, especially during peak hours between 2-6 p.m.
- Use ceiling fans where possible.
- Unplug electric items, including appliances, when not in use.
- Use energy-efficient lighting (LEDs use less energy and last up to 25 times longer than incandescent bulbs).
- Close doors to rooms that are not being used.
- Track electric usage via DLC’s website and app.
“I have solar panels on my house. My June bill was zero, my July bill was $10, last year it was zero,” Stephen Cohen told Pittsburgh’s Action News 4.
Cohen ditched high electricity bills altogether when he made the switch to solar at his Squirrel Hill home a few years ago.
“The fact that electricity cost more and more, and it makes perfect sense to invest once and reap the benefits as the years go by,” Cohen said.
To learn more about shopping for a supplier, click here.