GRU Working to Protect Customers from Sharp Increases as Fuel Costs Soar
GRU makes no profit from the fuel portion of the electric bill
The portion of a GRU customer's bill that reflects the direct cost of fuel will increase starting July 1 and future increases are expected due to the soaring cost of fuel. The change means that a typical residential electric customer who uses 1000 kilowatt hours of electricity per month will see a $5 increase on their bill.
Natural gas prices have doubled since last summer and coal, typically a low-cost fuel source, has increased by almost 50 percent.
While GRU cannot control the skyrocketing price of fuels, they search the market constantly for the lowest priced fuel that meets environmental standards. GRU also deploys a diversified mix of generation sources and maintains multiple long-term contracts designed to secure fuel at below market prices.
GRU customers pay only actual fuel costs. When fuel prices go up, the additional costs are passed through to customers. When fuel prices go down, the savings are also passed on. There is no profit of any kind for GRU on the fuel portion of the electric bill.
General Manager Robert Hunzinger said customers can help GRU hold down costs by shifting some of their electric usage to off-peak hours, before 10 AM or after 11 PM. It costs GRU less to generate energy during this time, and lower priced fuels translate to lower bills for customers.
“If you do a load of laundry at 7 AM instead of 7 PM for example, it will cost GRU less to generate that power for you, and if enough of us do this it helps reduce the amount of fuel we have to buy at higher prices so we all save,” said Hunzinger.
Customers who need assistance paying their utility bill should contact GRU's Customer Service Department at 334-3434 as soon as possible to learn about payment options and assistance programs. To learn more about energy and water efficiency rebates or ways to save money during the summer call Conservation Services at (352) 393-1460.
