Austin Energy rates are set to increase this September for the first time in 18 years. If you're wondering how much your electric bill will go up, Austin Energy wants you to know about a new version of its online “Electric Rate Calculator.”
“It will help customers start to understand the new rates,” Carlos Cordova with Austin Energy said. With the online calculator, customers can see how prices will change after the new energy rates go into effect this September.
You can simply select a month, your total energy consumption in kilowatts, and in an instant, the program calculates the electric cost under the current billing system, and the new system, side by side.
Though there have been rumblings against energy rate increases, especially in light of decreases in natural gas prices, Cordova said that the rate increase was a necessary measure. He pointed out that since 1994 that Austin Energy rates were stagnant. During the same time period, the company also added 100,000 customers.
However, the online energy rate calculator isn’t there just to show customers new rate changes. Austin Energy also wants you to realize that the less you use, the more you save.
The new five-tier billing system raises the price of electricity as the amount of energy you consume increases. The old system had only two tiers.
“The five-tier system rewards customers who use less electricity,” said Cordova. “You can see that if you cut down on your usage, or make energy efficiency improvements to your home, you can save money.”
