OGDEN, Utah — When the temperatures drop, you should typically expect your gas prices to go up. But for some Ogden families, the bill came as a shock when it was hundreds more than anticipated.
Homeowners told FOX 13 News that their bill tripled or quadrupled compared to the month before. With December’s low temperatures, they fear the next bill will only be higher.
“My husband and I had to sit down and completely rework our budget,” said Laura Perkins.
Perkins said their bill is $100 more compared to this time last year.
“Thinking about it, having to cut back food for heat, doesn’t seem like a great trade-off,” she said.
Dominion Energy said it could be because of higher gas prices and the colder temperatures. A company spokesperson also said Ogden has a lot of older homes, which are harder to warm up.
“I know that’s not uncommon and a lot of the houses on this street are pretty old,” said Perkins. “It’s hard to keep up.”
“It’s just really hard and difficult around Christmastime,” said Amy Terkelson.
Terkelson’s family received a shut-off notice on Friday, but she was able to get it extended. Her family takes care of a lot of lizards.
“The animals would suffer,” she said. “They always need heat.”
Dominion Energy said the company hasn’t raised its base rate in three years. At the start of the new year, it could go up an average of $3 to $4 a month. That all depends on approval from the Public Service Commission.
“What’s going to happen next month? Or the month after?” said Terkelson.
The gas company said they have programs set up to help customers struggling to cover the cost. A budget billing program averages the year month-to-month. There are also other programs to help with different pay arrangements.
