Interior residents see electric bills increase after cold snap

FAIRBANKS, Alaska (KTUU/KTVF) - Recent electric bills in the Interior have left many area residents surprised, with members questioning why their bills suddenly went up.

According to Ashley Bradish, Golden Valley Electric Association External Affairs and Public Relations director, a combination of factors led to the amounts being seen.

She said this time of year usually sees the highest electric bills because of a variety of factors, including residents spending more time at home using electricity for the holidays and the necessity of keeping homes and vehicles warm.

“This January, absolutely understand that bills coming out are surprising many, many members for how high they are, and we attribute a huge portion of that to the record-breaking cold that we experienced in December,” Bradish explained, referring to a multi-week cold snap that kept Interior temperatures around -40.

Plugging in vehicles, according to Bradish, marks the single largest use of power for residential homes in the winter, while some users also run systems to keep pipes from freezing, along with space heaters, during cold times.

“The usage adds up very, very quickly in general, but ... when we see really, really low temperatures, those systems have to work harder for longer,” she said. “They’re going to be on for longer amounts of time to sustain the temperature that they need to.”

Meanwhile, a new rate kicked in for GVEA members on Jan. 15, one which is temporary while regulators consider the rate case that the utility proposed toward the end of last year, and some of which may be refunded if the regulators determine GVEA is charging too much.

This new rate marks an increase of 7.4% for members, and this increase, combined with a 3.4% decrease in the Fuel and Purchased Power Rate since last January, ultimately means rates are 5.2% higher this year over last year, a difference people may see on their bills.

If members want to learn more about how they use their power, Bradish said GVEA has online, over-the-phone, and in-person tools for people to track their usage and look for ways to be more efficient.

“That’s the number one thing that we recommend that members do, is really look at their own usage,” she said. “We really try to help members in small changes that they might be able to make that can reduce usage.”

These changes could include putting vehicle plug-ins and other heating systems on a timer.

Meanwhile, the utility is also in the process of putting out a series of videos on its social media addressing community concerns and what Bradish calls misinformation that has spread online.

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