By Michael V. Hannigan
The message coming out of Trinity Valley Electric Cooperative regarding customer outrage over high bills for January (February billing) has been consistent: Bills went up because customer usage went up due to the weather.
Many customers saw huge jumps in their electric bills for service from December to January — some as much as double or more — prompting a grassroots effort to demand answers in a Facebook group called “Fight Against TVEC.”
So was there something different about the weather this year? According to temperature records from the U.S. Weather Data website, yes … but it was not January.
It was December.
According to the records (I used Athens as my location), December 2014 was by far the mildest December in a decade.
December 2014 saw just three days where the temps hit freezing or below.
By comparison, no other December going back to 2004 has fewer than 10 days at freezing or below and the average is almost 15 days. (2004 is where the data stopped; no data for December 2005)
December 2014 was an outlier; a beautiful month that saw very mild temperatures and little precipitation.
January 2015, however, remembered it was winter again. January saw 13 days where the temperature hit freezing or below. January 8-9, the temps got into the teens making them the coldest days since March 3-4 of 2014. Plus there were five days that saw a half-inch or more of precipitation.
As a reminder that it is Texas weather, January even had two days where the temp hit 80.
Figures from TVEC show a corresponding jump in electric usage from December 2014 to January 2015.
According to figures provided by TVEC Communications Coordinator Jeff Jordan, customer electric usage jumped by an average of 388 kilowatt hours over that span.
Here is the December-January average electric usage for the past two years:
- December 2013 – 2,030 kilowatt hours
- January 2014 – 2,067 kilowatt hours
- December 2014 – 1,681 kilowatt hours
- January 2015 – 2,069 kilowatt hours
These numbers would suggest that there was a difference in the weather this year, but that it was December’s mild temperatures and not January’s cold.
The last 3 bills has been high 389,400, 600. This is redicuos. Can’t get no groceries and have to take whole check for electric.
For the last 3 months my bill has went up by a little over $100. But last month more than $150.
One thing they can count on is as soon as we can change electric providers I will that same day good bye TVEC
Our bill was the highest we have ever experienced since moving to Athens. When we left the high prices in California and moved here to retire 11 years ago, we were so thankful for reasonable electric bills. Now we wonder; our bill was more than double what we usually pay in January.
TVEC has always pulled a fast one about this time of year. When I was with them, years ago, it was the same way. They’ve always done this. And have always gotten away with it… I’m glad that someone finally stepped up and is fighting this. Maybe from now on, if they don’t get away with it again, they’ll see that the people (their customers) won’t put up with it… I’ve moved to a local area that has been deregulated. I too was gouged (once a year).. But nothing like TVEC has done.. Shame on them. At the next TVEC meeting, all of their customers should show up and demand that TVEC deregulate. That way, the customers have a choice in who they buy their electricity from… More competition usually means better prices.
My husband said ours went up and we were gone from Dec 26-Jan 16 no one was home.
My bill went up $100.00. I checked last years usage and I used less this year, but yet my bill went up. My thermostat is set at either 65 or 68, but my bill still went up.
Enough complaining – it appears we are all in agreement. Solutions? What is your recommendation Henderson County Now? What recourse do we have? I have signed a petition through this site. What say you Mr. Weinstein?
I noticed that January’s bill went over by three days which increased my bill by $40….when I read my own meter I made sure it was 30-31 days, not 33. That extra can hurt when you are on a tight budget.