During summer and winter months, customers typically use more electricity. Because bills are based on energy usage, customers often see bill increases in the hotter and colder months.
We know it's difficult when your amount due is more than you're expecting. We have ways to help and want to make sure you're aware of these opportunities to help you make the choice that is best for you and your family.
Please contact our Customer Solutions Center at 800.572.1113 or send us a private message on Facebook to discuss options. Here are some of the ways we can help:
- Learn how Kentucky Power partners with area Kentucky Community Action agencies to help low-income households who qualify with their utility bills. Available programs include:
- The Home Energy Assistance in Reduced Temperatures (HEART) program
- The Temporary Heating Assistance in Winter (THAW) program
- The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
- Income eligible weatherization services are available for customers living on low or fixed incomes through area Kentucky Community Action agencies.
- Enroll in AMP (Average Monthly Payment) Plan. AMP evens out payments throughout the year to account for seasonal spikes in usage. Bills adjust on a 12-month rolling average and change only slightly each month, making bills more predictable. And unlike traditional budget billing plans, there is no settle-up month. More information is available here.
- Set up a payment plan. In cases where bill payments have fallen behind, it may make sense to consider setting up a payment arrangement. Customer service representatives can describe specifics based on your unique situation. We offer:
- A one-time payment extension to give you more time to make your bill payment
- An extended payment agreement to request a monthly payment plan to pay off your balance in full
- Prevent disconnection of a friend or relative. You can help someone avoid electric service disconnection with our Third-Party Notification program. This free service is often used on accounts of those who are elderly or ill, but it can be used for any customer. Learn more about Preventing Disconnection.
Factors Contributing to Increased Bills
Fuel Costs
On your Kentucky Power electric bill, there is a line item called the Fuel Adjustment Clause (FAC). This is a charge or credit for the actual cost of coal or natural gas used to generate or purchase electricity. Kentucky Power does not make a profit on fuel costs. The company only recovers dollar-for-dollar the costs of purchasing fuel to power its plants. The FAC charge or credit varies monthly with the price of fuel, and the amount billed is determined by a customer's energy usage.
Just as everyone is seeing the increase in costs of food and other household necessities, fuel costs are also affected by rising inflation. Fuel costs have increased over the last few years.
Extra Billing Days
It's normal for the number of days in each billing cycle to change from month to month. More days per cycle will cause your bill to be higher. You can see the number of days in your billing cycle on the front page of your bill.
Electric Heat/Heat Pumps
Even if you have lowered your thermostat, extremely cold weather can require your heat pump to change how it operates. When outdoor temperatures fall below 30 degrees, heat pumps need help from less efficient supplemental electric resistance heat to maintain indoor warmth. In extreme cold periods, when heating needs are highest, most of the heat provided comes from the less efficient supplemental electric resistance heat. This is how your bill can increase, even if it seems you haven't done anything differently. Learn more about how heat pumps work in this video from Community Housing Partners, a regional non-profit focusing on affordable housing.
Gas Furnaces
Even if you rely on your natural gas furnace as your home's main heat source, your electricity bill can still increase. Your natural gas furnace most likely relies on an electricity-powered blower to help move hot air through your home's ductwork. That electricity-powered blower is operating longer and harder to keep the same temperatures in your home when the outside temperature plummets.
Portable Space Heaters
In extreme cold periods, many people supplement their normal heating system with portable electric space heaters. Electricity to frequently run just one 1,500 watt space heater can add more than $100 a month to your bill. If you use more than one space heater, your costs go up even more.
Wood or Pellet-burning Stove
These heat sources may also indirectly affect your electricity bill. While there are higher-efficiency stoves now available, they still require electricity-powered venting and blower fans to exhaust fumes and smoke from your house.
* This information is meant to give you an overview of your heating source's operation. Consult your system's manufacturer for specific information.
How Do I Know My Bill is Accurate?
Bills include important details, look for these items on yours:
- Check whether the bill is estimated or based on an actual reading under "Meter Read Details" at the top of page 2 of the bill. About 99 percent of customer bills are based on actual usage. Within the last 10 years, Kentucky Power switched to radio frequency meters and began collecting meter readings remotely by vehicle in most areas. The practice is more efficient, safer and ensures almost everyone with a radio meter receives a bill that reflects an actual reading.
- Check the number of days being billed by looking at the "Current bill summary" on the first page. Billing periods can vary between 28 and 35 days, which can affect the overall bill amount.
- Compare the average daily cost to the previous month or to the same billing period the previous year by looking at "Usage Details."
- Compare the average temperature for the current billing period to the month before and to the same period the previous year by looking at "Usage Details."
What You Can Do to Control Your Energy Usage
Check out these energy savings tips.