According to a statement issued on Wednesday, Alabama Power is now receiving a large surge in customer service calls as a result of the very cold weather in January. The business also stated that there are other solutions accessible to individuals seeking assistance with their power bills.
“We want to reassure customers that, in coordination with the Alabama Public Service Commission, Alabama Power commits that we will not disconnect customers due to non-payment through March 15th,” the company said in its statement. “We understand the challenges they may be facing and are committed to supporting them.”
According to Alabama Power, the current cold weather will cause a 25% increase in electricity demand this month compared to January of last year. Customers who contact customer service should be patient, according to the company.
“The recent cold wave has led to increased electricity usage, resulting in higher bills for many customers,” the company stated.
“Customers used much more electricity this month to warm their homes while it was extremely cold outside. In fact, we expect customers will use 25% or more electricity this month compared to last January – and that is directly tied to the cold snap. The power bills our customers are seeing this month show how much power it took to keep our homes warm when it was 20 degrees outside for several days in a row. In fact, the average low temperature across much of Alabama was well below freezing for the first three weeks of the year,”
Alabama Power offers several bill-payment help programs, including Project SHARE, the Low-Income Home Energy Help Program (LIHEAP), and the ABC Trust Fund. Individuals can seek assistance with bills or other issues by visiting the company’s website or a local Alabama Power office. According to Alabama Power, sending an online request through the website’s form should result in a response within 5 to 7 business days.