- Inflation impacts another factor of life: electricity bills
- Talquin electric say there has been a 2.71% increase for the average household
- Watch the video for steps to put in place to help you reduce your bill
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
For AC, for lighting, in both summer and winter in Florida, we're always relying on our electricity. have you noticed a change in your bill recently?
Lori Pilz, Director of Member Services, said Talquin residential members will have seen a 2.7% increase on October 1st. That's due to a couple of things including
"Equipment, material costs have all gone up and we are just experiencing an increase in the items that we use," said Pilz.
She offered steps to put in place to help residents curb their bill.
"Stop gaps, and leaks, make sure the house his properly insulated," said Pilz.
She recommended monitoring your usage on the Talquin app and said it's a powerful tool. She also recommended their free energy analyses.
That's something Kiera Hanselman who lives in NW Tallahassee has taken advantage of.
Hanselman said the analysis offered energy saving suggestions. Although her bill has gone up about $400 dollars since 2014, she said it does correlate with her usage. She does tell me now a gallon of milk is 6 dollars, this is one more thing she is mindful of.
"Because everything else is also more expensive, this being more expensive too, hurts," said Hanselman.
But if you can't make ends meet. There are local organizations that can help.
Tim Center at Capital Area Community Action said they "provide a safety net to income eligible families needing help with utilities." He said they prioritize households with children under 5 years, seniors, and disabled people.
The Salvation Army also offer assistance.
"Any one can call in who needs rent or utility assistance every Monday, beginning at 9am to 11am," said Brittany Christie, Community Relations and Volunteer Coordination at Salvation Army Tallahassee.
They service Gadsden, Leon and Wakulla counties.
If you've completed all these steps and are still confused by your energy bill, I want to hear from you. Whether you're with Talquin or with the City of Tallahassee utilities, energy bill hikes are affecting everyone. Email me at Maya.Sargent@wtxl.tv and let me know some of the questions you have.
