NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — After last month's storm, many have concerns about their latest electricity bills.
Nashville's historic winter storm brought long power outages, and some believe they are seeing a higher price on their latest NES statements.
Professor Ben Jansen with MTSU said make sure you're looking at the full picture. Your most recent NES bill, which arrives monthly, will likely reflect all of January.
"So, it being winter, right, our heating costs are significantly higher. January had some pretty significant cold spikes, so we're likely going to see a spike in your electricity bill," he explained.
That monthly bill will have a delay effect — only going up to the end of January, or the beginning of February — which may add to the confusion. Those who lost power for over a week may not see the full scope of the outage reflected right away.
In a statement, NES confirmed this may be the case. A spokesperson said you may be receiving "high bills due to extreme temperatures" from January, and "heating systems have to work harder and use more energy" in the winter, even if you do not adjust your thermostat.
The utility added, "NES bills are a reflection of electricity used at the home or business, so if there was an outage, no electricity would be used during that period."
On your NES account, you can see a daily breakdown of your usage. Jansen says take a close look at your statement and make sure it's accurate.
"So do pay attention to your next electric bill...[which] likely will show you the time period with the winter storm," concluded Jansen. "Very important to make sure that you're not billed for something that you didn't use."
NES is offering payment extensions throughout the year. Many storm recovery funds could also be helpful resources for customers.
If you're struggling with your bill, NES suggests you get in touch by visiting neshelps.com or calling 615-736-6900 to discuss bill assistance resources.
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at nikki.hauser@newschannel5.com.
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