SHERWOOD, Ark — You may have seen it coming, but how shocked were you when you looked at your heating and gas bill at the beginning of the month? For a lot of Arkansans, they're starting to see huge jumps in cost.
It's normal for gas to go up during the winter months, but a lot of Arkansans have said that after not even using their gas, they're seeing a significant increase on their bills.
"I'm like, what happened? Like, last year when we had the big snow storm, I kid you not, I ran my heat on 75 degrees and my bill was $194. I remember that because that's the most I ever paid on my gas bill," said Tiyonna Casey out of Sherwood.
She said she's going to have to figure out how to budget in her natural gas bill for the month.
She's currently on maternity leave after giving birth to her son Gabriel just six weeks ago. He's snug and warm now, and Casey wants to keep it that way.
"So last month it was $150, so then it went up an extra $100, and now its like $255, and that's due next week," said Casey.
Her provider was CenterPoint Energy, now Summit Utilities.
Summit finalized its acquisition of CenterPoint’s assets back in January.
As a result of the acquisition, to help bring costs down for customers and as part of becoming the new energy provider, Summit Utilities said they're giving customers a rate credit on their bill that will total $26 million over two years.
In a statement to THV11, the company says they make an effort to purchase natural gas at the lowest possible price, but natural gas prices have increased recently driven by demand:
"It’s important to note that utilities like Summit do not make a profit off of the cost of gas. Our customers pay what we pay. In the event that gas costs dip, we pass that savings on to customers.
Summit Utilities continues to offer an average monthly payment plan option to our customers who wish to have lower gas bill payments during the winter months.
Customers can opt into this plan by visiting their online account which is still housed on the CenterPoint website or by calling customer service at 800-992-7552.
If you are concerned about paying your heating bills this winter because of financial hardship we encourage customers to contact us to set up a payment plan and to check eligibility for low-income heating assistance programs."
Summit Utilities provides natural gas to over 455,000 Arkansans.
"Something's happened to where my bill is going up. A lot of my friends was all on my status, saying 'Okay, mine's $260' and I said, 'Mine's more than that.' She said 'I would have hollered.' I did. I hollered," said Casey.
Some customers have reached out to the Arkansas Public Service Commission with their complaints.
In a statement to THV11, they also echo the same sentiments as Summit Utilities, saying in part, "There has been a significant increase in natural gas supply prices in the market over the past year."
They encourage customers struggling to pay to reach out for options with their utility company.
Casey hasn't had time with the new baby to look into her options, so for now, she has to rethink her spending.
"I have to cut back somewhere. Cut back on groceries. Cut back on buying groceries. Have to make less trips. Cut back on the trips that I use cause even gas went up," said Casey.
Some general tips for Summit Utilities customers to help keep their costs down during cold weather months:
- Keep thermostats no higher than 68 degrees. If possible, set it at 65 degrees when home and 60 degrees when away from home.
- Avoid turning the thermostat up too high, too fast.
- Close dampers on unused fireplaces and keep garage doors closed to prevent warm air from escaping.
- Insulate around windows and doors to prevent air leaks and keep warm air inside.
- Soak up the sun by opening curtains on your south-facing windows during the day and let the sunlight heat your home. Then, close them at night to reduce the incoming cold from any drafty windows.