According to reports, families who saw their bills increase were involved in variable rate plans with Griddy, a state-owned electricity provider.
Griddy had recommended that customers switch to a different supplier this week, warning them to find flat-rate plans, as they anticipated the rising cost of electricity due to growing demand. But many customers who tried to switch said other companies would not accept new customers until future weeks, which left them stuck with their large bills.
Ty Williams told the WFAA in Dallas that he typically spends $ 660 on home, guest house and office electricity bills. His new bill after the rate hike topped $ 17,000.
He told the media that he finally managed to switch to another provider and that he hoped to find a way to pay his massive bill. But Williams described the situation as “taken hostage and there’s nothing you can do about it.”
Some groups, such as Reliant Energy, say they are willing to work with customers and offer flexible bill payment options after the storm.
The rise in people’s bills was due to growing energy demand during freezing conditions, which was overloaded by the unprepared Texas Electric Reliability Council, which manages about 90 percent of the energy state. That demand raised the price of energy, but only those with variable rates saw their accounts directly affected.
This meant that while millions were without electricity, variable rate electricity customers who still had electricity saw their bills rise. WFAA noted that variable rate plans are rarer than fixed rate plans in the state.
Texas news adds to the aftermath of snowstorms, which left at least 47 people dead, left millions without electricity and even injured thousands of sea turtles.