Our top priority is to deliver reliable utility services to our community. And, in doing so, keeping the public and our employees safe. These things are non-negotiable.
In February, we hit record low temperatures, and with it came extreme demand for electricity and natural gas across the country causing fuel prices to surge.
As a community-owned utility, we do not profit from our rates. We pass on costs for fuel – up or down – to customers. As a result of the significant increase in fuel prices, City Council will vote on an increase to the natural gas cost adjustment on March 9.
To minimize the impact to monthly bills, we will spread out the costs for at least 14 months and temporarily pause disconnects for customers who can’t pay their bill.
We took steps to provide reliable service during the abnormal deep freeze by using our propane air plant to stretch natural gas supplies and generating electricity using natural gas, wind, solar, hydro and coal. Our customers also helped by conserving energy.
Still, we had to buy some fuel on the open market to support our community at very high prices, driven by low supply and increased demand.
Most of our customers use natural gas to heat their homes. Despite the weather conditions during this time, our systems (electric, natural gas, water and wastewater) remained stable and service to our customers was never interrupted.
Remember, your actual bill will also be impacted based on how much natural gas you use each month. And, during the cold snap you likely used more than usual.
While we work to ensure the reliability and safety of our system, we always want to help our customers who need assistance. There’s a variety of programs that can help:
- Low-Income Energy Assistance Program (LEAP) is a federally funded program to help with home heating costs. The application is available Nov. 1 to April 30.
- Project COPE provided $533,381 in utilities assistance to 1,178 households last year. This program provides utilities payment assistance to families and individuals struggling financially due to personal crisis or emergency, regardless of income.
- The Home Efficiency Assistance Program (HEAP) is a partnership with the Energy Resource Center for qualifying homeowners to receive free energy and water efficiency home upgrades to help lower their bill permanently. Upgrades could include insulation, LED bulbs and high-efficiency items like showerheads, refrigerators and toilets. Customers could also receive furnace and water heater repair or replacement.
Finally, we have information on ways you can conserve both energy and water in your home. We also offer rebates to save money on efficient products such as smart thermostats. Even small changes can add up to have a big impact in your home and in the community.
