As if I was freezing days and living with him current outrages they weren’t bad enough, now some jeans have to deal with the severe financial consequences of the storm. The latest hit came through electricity bills, some of which have reached outrageous sums that can reach $ 5,000 or even $ 17,000 in a matter of days.
Customers of the energy supplier Griddy they have expressed despair and frustration over these bills after one of the worst winter storms the state has hit in recent years. Griddy offers its customers variable wholesale plans with rates per kilowatt-hour tied to market prices, which reached the state-imposed maximum of $ 9,000 per megawatt-hour for five days this week. Sometimes plans like the ones Griddy offers make customers save money when the cost of energy is low. However, when prices rise, it can mean problems.
Such plans are not the norm; most jeans have fixed type energy plans. In comparison, Griddy has done it 29,000 customers.
Ty Williams, an Arlington Griddy customer, told local Fox affiliate that he and his family were lucky because they never lost power during the storm. Apparently, that luck didn’t turn out cheap: Griddy charged him $ 17,000 for five days of use.
Meanwhile, in Dallas, another Griddy customer said he received a $ 5,000 bill for use since last Saturday for his 2,700-square-foot home, according to the Dallas Morning News. The news center reported that another Griddy customer was also caught with a $ 5,000 bill for his 900-square-foot, two-story townhouse.
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Social media was also full of screenshots and astronomical bill accounts from Griddy.
Last weekend, Griddy they warned their customers which expected significantly higher prices in the near future. He even told everyone that they should change to another provider.
But that was easier said than done. Williams, Arlington’s Griddy client, said he tried to change providers, but was told the change would take at least a week. Customers who spoke griddy Morning news reported similar experiences. Fox reported that Williams was finally able to change later this week.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott called an emergency meeting with other state officials on Saturday to discuss rising energy bills.
“It is unacceptable that jeans that suffered for days during the cold without electricity or heat could suffer the costs of energy,” Abbott said in a statement. “To protect families, I am actively working with the lieutenant governor, the Speaker of the House and members of the legislature to develop solutions that will ensure that Texans are not stuck in unreasonable rises in their energy bills.”
At the moment, it is unclear whether the jeans will be able to get help for their high electricity bills. There is an option on the table: a federal block grant that the state recently received that includes grants for utility bills. We have tried to get more information about the grant from the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs website, which the jeans should have checked, but fell on Saturday.
On Friday, Griddy said yes seeking relief of the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, the entity that operates the state’s power grid and manages the deregulated power market.
“On Tuesday, Griddy began collaborating with ERCOT and the [Public Utility Commission of Texas] seeking customer help. Griddy continues these efforts and is committed to accrediting customers for any relief received, dollar for dollar, ”the company said.
He also stated, strangely, that “customers who had left to avoid non-commercial pricing quickly asked to re-register and return to our platform.” Given the prices seen this week, it’s hard to believe. Still, if so is true, it’s even more alarming that jeans can be enrolled in plans like the ones Griddy offers.
Later we contacted Griddy for feedback, but received no response from the company. We received an automated response informing us that Griddy has a deferred payment plan option to help members pay negative balances over time in installments and ensure that their power is not cut. It was not comforting.