PSO: Frigid Temps Cause Electric Bills To Go Up

As the cold temps continue across Green Country, many are seeing their electric bills go way up.

Whether we're talking about the heat in the summer or the bitter cold on nights, PSO says your electric bill is directly related to the weather.

PSO spokesman Stan Whiteford says when the temperatures drop, your electric bill will rise.

"Higher usage, plain and simple,” said Whiteford. “Obviously, January we had some really cold days, really, really cold days.”

Whiteford says from this time last year to now there hasn’t been a price change but says the weather is to blame.

"It looks like we may very well have set a peak for winter, meaning a record use amount,” said Whiteford.

Although he couldn't put a number on how many calls PSO has gotten about high electric bills, he says it's normal in the cold for bills to go up.

AND PSO isn't the only company whose customers are calling to complain. Indian Electric Cooperative even posted the following statement on their website:

"We have not raised your rate due to this cold weather, everyone has used more due to the cold weather."

Whiteford pointed out that customers use more electricity when it's hot outside.

"Air conditioning is a much bigger drain on electric usage than winter heating,” he said.

He says some ways customers can save money are leaving blinds open during the day and closing them at night and even closing off rooms.

"The easiest things are the doors or the windows,” he stated. “Make sure that you calk and weather strip around those cause that's where most of your energy is gonna go out.”

But at the end of the day, he says when you see the cold temperatures drop or the warm temperatures rise, expect that your bill may go up.

PSO says if you're having trouble paying your electric bill, they do not want people being left out in this bitter cold.

PSO says they can work with you.