Lubbock Residents Shocked By Recent Atmos Energy Bills
Have you noticed your gas bill skyrocket in the last couple of months? If you're living in Lubbock, you aren't alone.
Several Lubbock residents have been complaining on the popular NextDoor app about insane upticks in their gas bills over the last couple of months.
One person living in Monterey Heights posted that over the past two years, he's never received a bill over $100. In the last two months, however, his bills were $169 and $212. He said that he called Atmos Energy to make sure the meter was working and that there were no gas leaks, and was told his bill was correct.
So what's causing the increase? An increased cost for natural gas, plus the cost of delivering it to customers. If you look at your Atmos bill, those can be found under "Current Gas Charge Total" as "Gas Cost" and "Commodity Charge" and will likely account for the bulk of what you're paying each month.
His post garnered 45 comments from other Atmos Energy customers in the area that expressed similar changes in their bills. One woman said that her bill was a whopping $400 and that she lives alone with only her son. Another person said their bill has gone from $149 to $189 to $229, and that it was only around $70 this time last year.
I asked around the office and a coworker told me that his bill has increased dramatically from October to January. His October bill was $23. November was $54. December was $107, and January was around $160. I wonder what February holds for him.
I always expect my bills to fluctuate because I just don't deal well with being too cold or being too hot. My mom always called me the "Queen of Comfort," and, well, that's certainly reflected in my bills. I always assume it's my fault if they are extremely high. I crank the heater or the A/C way up with zero regrets.
If you're having trouble paying your Atmos Energy bill, the company does have payment assistance options, so check that out if you need help. They also have a page on their website dedicated to ways to keep energy costs down, such as setting your thermostat to 68 degrees during the day and 58 degrees when you're not at home and lowering your water heater's temperature to medium, or 120 degrees.
Have you seen a huge difference in your Atmos Energy bill lately? Comment below and tell us your recent experience with your utility bill. We'd love to know what's going on and if it is something more than the rising cost of gas.