MEMPHIS, Tenn. — MLGW customers are finding some of their highest bills ever this month, and there are no signs of relief.
The utility company warned customers on June 30 to prepare for higher bills throughout the summer season and especially in June and July. People weren't excepting hundreds of dollars more.
MLGW customer Eboni Johnson said her utility bill this month looks more like her rent or a car note.
"Why? Why is it so high?" Johnson said. "This bill is the price of my rent plus $32."
MLGW originally told people to prepare for a 20%-40% increase or $30-$60 more per month on their bill, but that number was based on people's usage last year.
Since we're experiencing record-breaking temperatures, combined with inflation, some people are seeing well beyond a 40% increase in their bills because of carry-over charges, and how much A/C they're using to keep the house cool.
"My thermostat said 90 degrees in the house," Johnson said. "We know how it feels outside, so that's a lot of heat. I need to keep my house cool."
MLGW recommends setting the thermostat to 78 degrees or above for maximum savings, but when its more than 90 degrees outside, Johnson said that isn't possible.
"You have no choice but to run your A/C all day and you have no choice but to use the blower fans all day," she said.
People having trouble paying their high utility bills can call MLGW and set up a payment arrangement to avoid being disconnected.
Editor's Note: The original version of this story cited an example of an electricity bill, however, the actual balance of that bill did not account for the customer's carry-over balance. The actual increase month over month for that customer was 10.6% and the increase year over year for the customer's bill was 17.5%, well below the 20-40% increase that MLGW warned customers of.
