N. Texas Residents Unite To Fight Rising Electric Rates
Follow CBSDFW.COM: Facebook | Twitter
CRANDALL, TX (CBSDFW.COM) - You expect higher utility bills in the cold weather, but increases in one part of North Texas have homeowners boiling hot and they're uniting to fight what they consider skyrocketing electric rate hikes.
Nikki Murphy keeps the heat off as much as possible in her family's Crandall home.
"We didn't really use the heat at all so we expect $160 and $170 bill. Wouldn't expect anything odd," says Murphy.
She he couldn't believe it when she received her latest electric bill for $362.
"I'm thinking how am I going to pay this," says Murphy.
Murphy's bill was pocket change compared to some other Trinity Valley Electric Co-op customers who's bills were double, almost triple that. Customers have joined together on Facebook to start a petition drive against TVEC which responded online with a statement which reads. "We understand the frustration of receiving an unexpectedly high bill... TVEC has not had a rate increase since January 2008."
The company says colder weather and customers with variable rates are seeing the biggest bills. But some homeowners say they had been careful about usage.
Tammy Pina says, "It's been a certain amount for every month and then all of the sudden for this jump that high we don't use it just me my husband here."
CBS 11 was not able to reach anyone with TVEC for a comment. About 1,300 homeowners have signed a petition demanding TVEC's board of directors explain the bills.
(©2015 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)