Bills are higher than ever in our area, even for those of us who are already under contract with energy providers.
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"In the summer, it does get to maybe a little over $200. Ours has been $430," Jim Gossett said. "I keep saying, 'How are we going to live with these bills?'"
The problem is what's called a delivery or pass-through charge.
You'll find it on your bill.
"It's a non by-passable charge. There's nothing you can do to get out of it," explained David Kinchen, the chief operating officer of Energy Ogre, a company that helps people shop for electricity plans.
RELATED: Equipment costs, sweltering heat among several reasons why consumers are seeing high electric bills
Equipment costs, sweltering heat among several reasons why consumers are seeing high electric bills
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CenterPoint Energy, which owns the electrical lines and wires used to deliver electricity in the Houston area, raised fees on Sept.1, citing infrastructure issues and higher-than-usual demand.
The state's public utility commission approved the increases.
All we can do now is wait for cooler weather.
"I'm expecting my October bill for September usage to be quite a bit less," Kinchen said. "I would expect it cut in half by the time I get to November. Relief is on the horizon from weather and from seasonality."
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SEE ALSO: Data shows 26% of Houstonians struggle to pay at least one power bill during the year
Need help paying your electricity bill? You're not alone