Heat wave causing higher electric bills

LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) - With the triple-digit temperatures we have been seeing over the last month, you can expect your electric bill to be higher than usual.

KCBD spoke to LP&L about what drives bills up and what you can do to save money.

Matt Rose, spokesperson for LP&L, says “When you have multiple days over 100 degrees you can logically expect that regardless of what you do your usage is going to increase.”

Rose says it’s something LP&L sees every summer, and with that increase in usage comes higher bills. He says although it may feel like you are not changing your routine in hotter months, the sweltering heat takes a toll on your HVAC system.

“In order for your air conditioning unit to keep your house at your comfortable level, it is working overtime in order to achieve that,” said Rose.

Rose says there are some preventative measures you can take like closing your blinds and turning off lights. However, you should never turn off your AC unit completely.

“If the temperature inside of your house gets to be 85 or 90 degrees and you get home at night and turn the ac on your ac is going to run all night long to try to get it back to that temperature and you’re going to use more electricity than you have saved throughout that day,” Rose said.

If you are concerned that you won’t be able to pay your bill, Rose says you should contact City of Lubbock Utilities sooner rather than later.

“Please be proactive, please contact us, and please let us work with you because if you get to the point where you get disconnected for no pay those options really shorten. We want to make sure that we get with you early and all of us work as we go through these summer months,” Rose said.

For more tips from LP&L click here. You can contact the City of Lubbock Utilities at 806-775-2509.

Copyright 2023 KCBD. All rights reserved.