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HERRIMAN — Several homeowners got what they called a nasty surprise when they opened their power bills this month.
The Garrett family said they try to keep their electricity use to a minimum in their Herriman home. They keep their kitchen lights turned off and never turn their thermostat below 78. Even with those efforts, they pay around $250 to $275 a month for power.
So when Steve Garrett opened last month’s power bill, he was floored. The price tag: $500 — “nearly double” what they’re used to paying.
Paul Murphy with Rocky Mountain Power reviewed Garrett’s bill.
“He is using a lot of electricity,” he said.
Murphy pointed out the Garrett family is using double the electricity they did at this time last year. The Garretts insisted that’s not true.
“Same A/C units, same cooking habits,” said Jamie Garrett.
Kathryn McMullin lives across the street from the Garretts. She and her husband have spent thousands of dollars installing high-efficiency air units and upgrading installation. They hoped the expensive changes would ultimately save them money on their bill.
“I was hoping to see $50 to $100,” McMullin said. “We saw it go up.”
One explanation is a hike in rates across the board that went into effect Sept. 1.
For questions with your power bill, call 1-888-221-7070 or check out the website here.
“Prices went up 1.9 percent,” Murphy said.
While that increase adds on about $1.74 for the average customer, it’s not enough to double a bill.
“It feels like something corrupt is happening,” said McMullin.
The meters are reliable and have just a 0.4 percent failure rate, Murphy said.
Rocky Mountain Power planned to send someone to the neighborhood to check the meters on Thursday. Murphy said the company is willing to work with customers to lower their power bills.
