This week customers of the Southwestern Electric Power Company are getting an opportunity to voice their opinion regarding a possible rate hike, which could raise average electric bills by more than 15 dollars a month.
This is the first time SWEPCO is asking for a rate hike since 1985. "The facilities, the people, trucks, all the infrastructure out there costs more money over time," said Peter Main, of SWEPCO.
SWEPCO is asking the Arkansas Public Service Commission to approve a 17.7 percent increase, which would equal out to an extra $15.43 a month for residential customers using 1,000 killowatt-hours per month.
"You can only push people so far and they are going to snap, break, nothing they can do anymore," said Steven Kingery, of Fayetteville.
Kingery and his wife are living in Valley View Mobile Home Park, and are both on disability. He says he has a hard enough time paying the bills as it is. "Our bills keep going up, but our income doesn't, that creates a big problem," said Kingery.
SWEPCO says they feel sympathy for customers like Kingery, but they have no choice. "Believe me the way the economy is, if we didn't truly need an increase at this time we wouldn't be asking for it," said Main.
SWEPCO is also in the process of paying off their new power plant in Tontitown. A 22 percent increase in customers over the last two decades is also taking a toll. More than 113,000 Arkansans rely on SWEPCO.
"Customers are using more energy per household, we have bigger households, more electronic devices, lots of things we didn't have 20 years ago," said Main.
There are multiple electric companies in this region, but switching is not an option. "If you're in one service territory that's who serves you," said Main.
The Arkansas Public Service Commission is holding two public comment hearings before they make their decision in November.
The first public comment hearing will be held in Fayetteville on Tuesday October 13, at 6 p.m., at Fayetteville Town Center on 15 West Mountain Street. The second meeting will take place in Hope, Arkansas, on Thursday, October 15, at 6 p.m. at the Rapert Auditorium on the campus of the University of Arkansas Community College, 2500 S. Main Street.
If the Arkansas Public Service Commission approves the rate increase it could go into effect by late 2009 or early 2010.
This is the first time SWEPCO is asking for a rate hike since 1985. "The facilities, the people, trucks, all the infrastructure out there costs more money over time," said Peter Main, of SWEPCO.
SWEPCO is asking the Arkansas Public Service Commission to approve a 17.7 percent increase, which would equal out to an extra $15.43 a month for residential customers using 1,000 killowatt-hours per month.
"You can only push people so far and they are going to snap, break, nothing they can do anymore," said Steven Kingery, of Fayetteville.
Kingery and his wife are living in Valley View Mobile Home Park, and are both on disability. He says he has a hard enough time paying the bills as it is. "Our bills keep going up, but our income doesn't, that creates a big problem," said Kingery.
SWEPCO says they feel sympathy for customers like Kingery, but they have no choice. "Believe me the way the economy is, if we didn't truly need an increase at this time we wouldn't be asking for it," said Main.
SWEPCO is also in the process of paying off their new power plant in Tontitown. A 22 percent increase in customers over the last two decades is also taking a toll. More than 113,000 Arkansans rely on SWEPCO.
"Customers are using more energy per household, we have bigger households, more electronic devices, lots of things we didn't have 20 years ago," said Main.
There are multiple electric companies in this region, but switching is not an option. "If you're in one service territory that's who serves you," said Main.
The Arkansas Public Service Commission is holding two public comment hearings before they make their decision in November.
The first public comment hearing will be held in Fayetteville on Tuesday October 13, at 6 p.m., at Fayetteville Town Center on 15 West Mountain Street. The second meeting will take place in Hope, Arkansas, on Thursday, October 15, at 6 p.m. at the Rapert Auditorium on the campus of the University of Arkansas Community College, 2500 S. Main Street.
If the Arkansas Public Service Commission approves the rate increase it could go into effect by late 2009 or early 2010.
