Shouts and Murmurs
On July 30, El Paso Electric sent out an email to its customers, with the subject line “Your Summer Electric Bill Explained.” Here is one customer’s attempt to rewrite the letter.
Dear El Paso Electric Customer,
We’re aware that many customers are seeing higher electric bills this summer, and we know that can be concerning. Several factors may be contributing to your bill, and the impact will vary depending on your zip code and access to savings accounts. Also, numbers are just one way of measuring things.
Here’s what may be affecting your bill:
Hotter Weather Means Higher Energy Use
Actually, so does colder weather. But we’ll run with that heading, since it’s July. June brought significantly higher temperatures across our service area, including many days over 100°F. No, your wife is not yet going through menopause… she’s just playing a board game with your son in a house pushing 90 degrees inside, trying to explain to a 9-year-old what a regulated monopoly is. His hair is plastered against his forehead, as air conditioners work longer and harder to keep homes comfortable. Oh, so you use a fan? How quaint. But what do you think the fan runs off of?
Electric Rates
Updated Texas electric rates took effect on May 1. And guess what? They went down. Ha! Just kidding. We love this state, because it has this great body called the PUCT (Public Utility Commission of Texas), also pronounced like what your roommate did after too many jello shots. Unfortunately, some of our customers also live in New Mexico, where they believe in fantastical things like clean energy and consumer protections. The more electricity that is used, the greater the impact of those rates on the total bill. (A verbatim sentence from EPE explaining how bills work.)
Summer Rates
During the summer months, residential customers are billed using a two-tier energy rate. The first 600 kWh of electricity are billed at one rate, and any usage above 600 kWh is billed at a slightly higher rate. In many parts of the world, summer lasts three months, but in El Paso, it lasts six to seven months. This tiered structure helps manage increased shareholder expectations during our hottest months.
Comparing Bills
When comparing your bill, it’s most helpful to compare the same month from one year to the next (for example, June to June) rather than comparing June to a cooler month like May. Wait, sorry, what? Or comparing June to December in Fargo, North Dakota. Summer electric use is typically much higher due to increased cooling needs.
Understanding the different sections of your bill can be complex but we want to help explain why your total amount may have changed. If the month in question ends in -er, you should be complaining to Texas Gas Service. If the month has only one syllable, make sure you’ll be getting a tax refund this next year. If you ever had an ex-girlfriend named April, May, or an ex-boyfriend named August, you might have a really tough month ahead. Just remember our internal mnemonic:
Thirty days hath September,
April, June, and November.
All the rest have higher bills,
Except June (oops!) which just kills,
February bears no mention,
as vacation is the intention.
What your Higher Bill is DEFINITELY NOT ABOUT.
Rest assured that your higher bill is unrelated to:
- privatization
- data centers
- smart meters
- executive compensation
We know this because we investigated ourselves.
Also, by no means is your bill affected by the 2020 sale of El Paso Electric to Infrastructure Investments Fund (IIF), a private infrastructure investment fund then advised by J.P. Morgan Investment Management. WE can’t prove it to you, but you’ll have to trust us on our word. (Clink of champagne glasses, menacing throat clearing in background) Lobbying those Texan politicians and regulators in New York can be expensive, but thankfully we don’t have to report on that or Kelly Tomblin’s salary anymore.
In summary, we’re committed to providing clear information to assist you in better understanding your energy use and your bill items, except for any quarterly earnings or other detailed financial reporting. Our Customer Care team here, or somewhere, is ready and eager to help.
Best,
Customer Care team
Email:customercare@epelectric.com
Phone:(915) 543-5970
Hours of Operation:
Mon-Fri: 7:00 a.m.- 7:00 p.m.
Sat-Sun: Closed