It’s only natural to be surprised when the same behavior produces drastically different results.

Lake Havasu City residents who’ve kept their home thermostat at the same setting they use every summer may have been surprised to find a higher electric bill awaiting them this month.

Many have blamed higher electric rates that took effect earlier this year, and it’s true they played a part. But this July was the hottest on record in Lake Havasu City, and much hotter than July 2023. Daily high temperatures averaged 114 degrees, five degrees hotter than normal, and reached 119 or higher on four days. These scorching temperatures forced air conditioners to work much harder – and use more electricity – to maintain the same indoor temperature.

We recently analyzed 22,000 electric bills sent to Lake Havasu City customers over the last month. In addition to confirming their accuracy, we determined that higher usage accounted for half the year-over-year increase in those customers’ bills. The rest resulted from the rate increase, which has a greater impact in months when usage is high.

Our new rates cover the cost of grid upgrades needed to ensure reliable electric service in our blistering hot summers. Although they were expected to increase monthly bills by about $14, that’s a year-round average for all our customers – including those living where summers are cooler. The monthly impact will be higher with increased usage and lower with reduced usage.

We work hard to control the costs reflected in our rates. One example is our longer-term effort to reduce reliance on the wholesale energy market.  Resources are becoming scarce on the regional grid, driving up costs we pass along – without any markup – through the Purchased Power and Fuel Adjustment Charge (PPFAC). So we’re developing new resources that will be dedicated to supporting our customers’ future energy needs at an affordable cost.

We’re also ready to help our customers make energy costs more manageable. We know it’s hard to pay higher electric bills, particularly when the amount is surprising. That’s why we offer Budget Billing, which charges the same amount each month based on your average annual usage. The payment amount is adjusted from time to time based on actual usage, as participants must ultimately pay for all the energy they use. But the program greatly mitigates month-to-month volatility, which can be very helpful for those on fixed incomes.

UniSource offers a variety of pricing plans, including some that provide lower rates if you can shift your energy usage to different times of the day. We also offer a monthly discount and other resources for customers who qualify for low-income assistance.

Ultimately, the best way to reduce your energy costs is by using less energy. If you’re ready to take action, we offer energy-saving tips, tools to track your energy usage and rebates on air conditioning tune-ups and other energy-efficient upgrades.

It all starts with working together to find solutions that best meet your needs. Our team is ready to help. Please visit us online at uesaz.com or give us a call at 1-877-837-4968.