Utility rates fluctuate for student community
November 22, 2009
Utility providers such as City of Tallahassee Utilities have recently announced a decrease in utility rates, but the impact of the decrease on students is not definitive.
Some students aren't seeing benefits from decreased utility prices.
Effective Oct. 1, a City of Tallahassee Utilities customer could expect to pay $129.50 for 1,000 kwh, the amount of energy used by the average Tallahassee customer. This is a decrease from the previous decreased level of $140.85 that took effect last April. A newsletter released for October 2009 by the City of Tallahassee Utilities announced, “The total 18% reduction will result in a combined savings of more than $65 million for our community and $335 in savings per year for an average household.”
This decrease is due to a decline in the cost of natural gas, which is used by the City to generate electricity. The cost is expected to remain fairly stable over the next two years. With the reduced rate, the City’s electric rates are expected to drop below the state average. Some Florida State students have already seen the decrease in effect.
“The first month that we lived in the apartment, our electric bill was pretty high,” said Chris Rincon, a FSU sophomore living off-campus with three friends at University Village. “But then this past month, it actually decreased by like $20 per person.”
But utility bills and payment regulations vary with different apartment complexes. Caitlin Bulla, a junior at FSU living off-campus at University Club, also shares an apartment with three friends. Last year, their utilities were through the City of Tallahassee, and they were paying between $240 and $300 per month. The initial April 2009 decrease didn’t appear to affect her.
“I didn’t really notice one,” said Bulla, “not a significant decrease anyway.”
This year, her apartment complex instituted a minimum cap charge of $200 for utilities. Whatever they go over, she and her roommates pay. Caitlin, whose parents are paying her monthly apartment payments, says she feels the current rates are pretty fair. However, she has observed how the unpredictability of monthly utility charges can potentially cause some students financial difficulty.
“One of my roommates, her parents pay for the rent, but if she has any overages, she pays for those out of pocket, and she doesn’t have a job right now and was freaking out about our last utility bill,” said Bulla. “I don’t know what she’s going to do if we keep going over. I mean, a couple dollars isn’t bad, but $25 is a lot to find, especially if you don’t have a job.”
Despite the claimed decrease, some students have actually seen increases in their monthly utility bills. Kevin Wenzel, a junior living off-campus at Osceola Ridge, saw an increase in electric rates from a previous average of $109 per month to $234.36 for the month of October.
“I’ve always thought they were a bit high for the size of our apartment, but this past month, I noticed that they were particularly high,” said Wenzel, who splits the four bedroom apartment with 3 other guys.
The City of Tallahassee Utilities still expects a noticeable decrease.
“They may have had the air conditioning running, or they may have had the heat running, and those are going to be some of the larger cost associated,” said Sandra Manning, a representative with City of Tallahassee Utilities. “With our decrease, there should be some decrease seen,” said Manning.
For Wenzel, that situation doesn’t seem probable.
“My bill was almost double what we paid in July, and we have not even had the air conditioning on this month very much,” said Wenzel.
Manning suggest when sharing a property with other people, it’s hard to know exactly how roommates have been using their share of energy.
“You could say, well, ‘we didn’t do anything’, or ‘I didn’t do anything,’” said Manning. “You may not know that your roommate was blasting the air or had the heat on for three or four, eight hours, while you were away.”
If a student does experience an unexpected increase like Kevin Wenzel, Manning suggests having an energy audit.
“All that comes out in the audit,” said Manning. “You try to get into how people are living, when they’re there, when they’re not there. It could just be some things that have changed. It could be a hole around the window, or something like that.”
Despite the particulars of individual cases, the City of Tallahassee Utilities is making a dedicated effort to keep customers in the know of rate changes and ways to be energy-smart.
“We have all kinds of programs,” said Manning. “We’re encouraging or trying to educate the public about things that they can do to save energy, save water, and save money.”
For energy saving tips or further information about the City of Tallahassee rate changes, go to talgov.com. If interested in a free energy audit, or for any other energy service concerns, call 891-4YOU.
Photos courtesy of Dano, Flickr Creative Commons
