Lubbock resident scorched by cost of summer electric bill - KLBK | KAMC | EverythingLubbock.com

Lubbock resident scorched by cost of summer electric bill

LUBBOCK, Texas— There’s no question that the Texas summer heat is on full display, and it looks like it will be sticking around for quite a while. With Monday’s high of 102 degrees Fahrenheit, Lubbock has now spent 15 of the last 30 days in the triple digits.

Lubbock Power and Light said when the heat strikes, the demand for electricity also goes up, which in turn leaves many having to foot a higher electricity bill than usual.

“Every single year, from May to July, our average customer is going to see their electric usage double, or in some cases triple, specifically because of the temperature outside,” said Matt Rose with LP&L. “You can reasonably expect that your air conditioning unit is going to work overtime in order to try to keep the air inside of your home cool.”

Price Dudley is a homeowner in Central Lubbock. He said he expects his bill to be higher over the summer but felt his $2,500 bill was excessive and was shocked to see that number when it arrived in the mail.

“Our average bill during the summer months usually runs around $500 up to as expensive as $600 in the past with some of the heat waves that we’ve had years ago,” Dudley said. “We’ve been in the house for 20 years and absolutely nothing has changed, so anything above a $600 electric bill for a 3,000-square-foot house is going to raise some questions.”

That’s nearly five times higher than he’s used to, so he immediately reached out to LP&L to see what the problem was.

“I went in and approached in a very calm demeanor because there was an issue, but I need their help to fix it, and that’s what they’re there for,” Dudley said.

Rose referred to Dudley’s case as an anomaly.

“This obviously does not seem right,” Rose said. “Based on that customer reaching out to the City of Lubbock Utilities, an order was put in the field and folks are out there checking his meter, researching his account, and they’ll be getting back and working with this customer to make sure that his bill is adjusted appropriately.”

Rose said LP&L never wants any customer to receive a bill that doesn’t match up to their usage, but he admits mistakes happen.

“One of the 108,000 meters that are in the field is not going to operate properly, and that’s just part of this,” Rose said. “For all of our customers, check that usage based on what you used this time last year. We’re more than happy to take a look at it and work with you and make sure, at the end of the day, you’re comfortable with where your bill stands.”

LP&L believes Dudley had a faulty meter. The city said it will switch out his meter and take back his old one for testing.

Dudley said he’s glad LP&L is on top of it and expects to see an updated bill that will cost him much less.

“I feel pretty confident that LP&L is going to realize that this is not a legitimate charge, and they’re going to figure it out,” Dudley said.

LP&L is only responsible for the electric portion of your City of Lubbock Utilities bill.

If your bill has been climbing this summer, Rose has tips to conserve energy.

- Set your thermostat 6 – 8 degrees higher while you’re away from home.
- Reduce your energy usage during peak hours, which are typically 3 – 7:00 p.m.
- Use ceiling fans to circulate cool air in your home.
- Plant vegetation around the exterior of your home in order to further insulate it from the extreme heat.
- Make sure your windows have covers of some form to block direct sunlight from warming your house during the summer months. If your blinds are open, direct them upwards to allow sunlight into the house while not substantially warming the room.
- Replace your heating and air-conditioning filters every 2 – 3 months.

To reach an LP&L customer service representative, you can call 806-775-2509. You can also text or email CustomerFirst@CityOfLubbockUtilities.com. For more information, visit the LP&L website.