GULF COAST – Today the Public Service Commissioner approved a 40 million dollar interim increase for Gulf Power. As Channel 3′s Anthony Pura reports, it’s part of a bigger 95 million dollar rate hike request made by Gulf Power.
Starting in September, the average Gulf Power household bill will see an increase of about 4 dollars and fifty cents. By April that increase could be up to 12 dollars.
It will soon cost you a little more to turn on a light bulb or flip on the AC.
Sid Braunstein
“4.50 means to me 50 dollars a year, which is the only way I know how to look at it because I’m on a fixed income.”
Sid and Pat Braunstien pay about 230 dollars a month on their Gulf Power bill.
It’s been that way for as long as they’ve had Gulf Power. The electric company has kept its customers rates the same for the past 10 years.
Pat Bruanstein
“I’m still wondering why now? Why such a chunk?”
The simple answer, the price of everything has gone up in those 10 years.
Jeff Rogers, Gulf Power
“There’s been about 25 percent inflation. And other commodities, a lot of the things we need to conduct business has gone up.”
Then there’s also the cost of investing in future technologies
Jeff Rogers, Gulf Power
“Smart grid technology, smart meters that can make electricity even more reliable.”
And depsite the increases, the Braunsteins say they probably wont change the way they use their electricity.
Pat Bruanstein
“We have a kilowatt sucking swimming pool that we wouldn’t change for anything, so there you go.”
In December, the Public Service Commission will look at approving another 8 dollar increase, so that will be about a 12 dollar increase on an average bill. Reporting in Escambia County, Anthony Pura, Channel 3 News.
