ACADIANA, La. (KLFY) — Erin Kemp with ownera company that studies utility usage across the country told News 10 that the average monthly electric bill in Louisiana last year was $150.
“In Louisiana, our study found that the average monthly bill was about $151 per month. That works out to about $1,800 a year. That’s actually about $22 more per month than last year.”
High utility bills in Lafayette are worrying customers
This study can be found here.
She said consumers may see their payments increase because of utility fees.
“The factor driving up the bills could be the prices going up for utility charges.”
Utilities such as Entergy, LUS, and SLEMCO provide services to consumers across Acadiana. SLEMCO spokeswoman Mary Pritchard said utility companies typically increase consumer charges because fuel charges are rising and consumer usage is increasing.
Louisiana Public Service Commissioner Davante Lewis also told News 10 that utility costs have increased due to the changing climate as well as the lack of weathering of homes.
“So if you look at these older homes that haven’t weathered and then you add climate change, which means we’re getting hotter summers and hotter days and colder winters, it means you’re going to have to use more and more energy to just to make basic needs.”
Lewis said it’s an issue people in Louisiana are experiencing because of the weather changes, but it’s a challenge his office wants to address.
“So that’s going to be one of the serious challenges that we have to face if we’re going to keep our bills catastrophically low, because they’re going to keep increasing as the weather changes and the less prepared our homes are.”
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