By BETH THOMAS
Special to Atmore News
Many Alabamians are facing challenging times, and no one wants to see rising electric bills. However, the increased cost of fuel to generate electricity has necessitated an adjustment to Alabama Power Company’s rate.
Beginning in December, the typical residential customer bill will increase by about $10 a month to cover the higher cost of fuel used to generate electricity. Using diverse fuel types and sources has helped dampen the adjustment. APCO does not make money from fuel expenses.
To discuss options, customers may chat with us online at AlabamaPower.com, give us a call at 800-245-2244 or visit us in person at one of our offices.
To help customers reduce bills, APCO offers tips for better managing energy use, finding ways to save and utilizing assistance programs.
Better manage use
* As colder temperatures approach, be sure you know how to keep costs down.
* Learn how to use less energy, get help paying your bill and track energy use. You can chat and connect with APCO online, call or visit in person or at one of APCO’s offices.
* Make sure you have an online account and that your information is up to date.
* Customers with an online account now have the option to pay their power bill via Apple Pay, Google Pay, Amazon Pay, Venmo and PayPal. These payment methods are within APCO’s Online Customer Care portal.
* You can better understand daily energy use by enrolling in My Power Usage on your online account at AlabamaPower.com. The tool shows daily and monthly use, projected bill amounts and sends email alerts when bills reach a set dollar amount.
* Budget Billing is a free service allowing customers to pay an averaged bill each month based on their annual use, which helps stabilize seasonal variations in electric bills.
* Find easy tips to save money and use less energy at AlabamaPower.com/Winterize.
Find ways to save
* You can enroll in a time-of-use rate to save based on the time of day you use electricity and when you avoid using major appliances at the same time. Visit AlabamaPower.com/TimeAdvantage to learn more.
* Visit AlabamaPower.com/rates to check out the best plan to fit your lifestyle.
Get assistance
* Medicaid recipients can save $14.50 on their monthly power bill. To sign up, visit your nearest business office for an application or call 1-800-257-APCO.
* Partners in the community also are ready to help. More information on resources and assistance programs through Community Action Agencies is available at AlabamaPower.com/PaymentAssistance.
* Those able to support neighbors in need can check the Project SHARE box on their Alabama Power bill or online account. Contributions to Project SHARE, run by the Salvation Army,
directly support low-income and elderly customers in our communities.
Beth Thomas is APCO External Affairs Manager.