As temperatures plunge across the Delaware Valley, many families are feeling the pressure of rising heating bills as they try to stay warm this winter.

Some Delaware County residents said the bitter cold is forcing them to make tough decisions. PECO customer Karin Spiegler from Morton said she uses electric heat and is hesitant to turn up the thermostat because of rising costs.

"Usually, I just pay my bill and move on, but lately it's been 'How much can I afford to pay this month?'" Spiegler said. "I'm anxious about the bill."

She's not alone. Some customers report their January energy bills were nearly double what they paid in December.

"I don't understand what's happening," Spiegler said. "Why is it going up this much?"

PECO spokesperson Candice Womer said customers saw a 6% increase in the supply portion of their bills in December, citing market conditions. She added that people naturally use more energy during the winter to heat their homes.

"These increases have been primarily driven by increased demand," Womer said. "We're seeing a lot more demand on our energy grid."

To help offset costs, PECO has expanded eligibility for a one-time $750 grant for low- to moderate-income households. The company said it also offers additional assistance programs and encourages customers who are struggling to reach out.

"We have budget billing, which spreads out customers' payments over 12 months," Womer said. "We take the average of the last 90 days of their bill and average that out so their payments become more predictable. That way, they don't see the fluctuations and we evaluate every 90 days or so to make sure that the average bill that they're paying per month is relevant to what their usage is."

Not everyone is feeling the strain as intensely. Spiegler's friend Ted Uhlman of Broomall said he has an oil furnace and wood-burning stove.

"I don't even have one of these hydraulic splitters," Uhlman said. "I split my own wood. So instead of spending money to heat my house, I work real hard."

Meanwhile, Spiegler worries about the possibility of her power being shut off.

"I'm consistently paying," she said. "I'm just not paying even the minimum of what they want."

With two months of winter still ahead, she's bracing for the next bill and hoping relief comes soon.

"I wear layers and blankets in the house," Spiegler said. "I keep the temperature around 65 and the house gets pretty cold. I guess I could try 62 or lower."