Some Opp residents upset over utility bills
Published 12:02 am Wednesday, March 7, 2012
At least a handful of Opp residents are concerned about the price of their power bills, one utility board member said Monday.
Utility Board member Jimmy Rogers said several residents had questioned him on how their power bill was calculated.
Rogers questioned the board on the cost residents pay per month for a meter charge.
The cost is $17.50 per month for residential service and $25 per month for commercial service, Stacy Parker of the Utilities Board said.
“It’s called a meter charge, but it’s a fixed cost,” Parker said.
Customers are responsible for the “meter charge” each month, no matter how much electricity they use.
“They’re just trying to figure out what they pay per kilowatt hours,” Rogers said. “I don’t understand why we can’t just put it on the bill. I think we should put the amount of the meter charge on the bill so the public will know what they are paying for.”
Rogers said residents pay around 13.2 cents per kilowatt hour for electricity.
Opp Mayor H.D. Edgar, who is the chairman of the board, suggested they see how PowerSouth and Covington Electric does it.
“I think we’ll be the first,” Parker said.
Rogers said he has a group of “little ladies” who contact him nearly every month about the cost of their electricity.
“These ladies read their meters,” he said.
Parker suggested that Rogers have the “little ladies” contact the utilities office with their questions.
Edgar said it would be “easier if Rogers could provide the board with a list of the ladies,” so that the board could help answer their questions.