OCEAN VIEW, Del. - Chris Connely, a 53-year-old Delmarva Power customer, is grappling with rising energy costs that are straining his budget.
His February bill surged to $587.22, a sharp increase from $448.72 last year, despite similar energy usage. “I can’t afford to run this thing. It’s crazy,” said Connely, who lives in Ocean View and typically uses a moderate amount of electricity.
Many customers like Connely are facing similar price hikes. In the past year, his bill jumped by over $100, and he’s left wondering why. “If you look at the graph, you see usage skyrocketed, but the weather’s only four degrees colder than last year,” Connely said, questioning the cause of the dramatic spike.
Delmarva Power responded, stating that they are committed to addressing customer concerns and providing resources to help manage winter energy costs. In an effort to ease the burden of these costs, the company has suspended late payment fees and waived deposits for customers who reconnect after disconnection.
Statement released by Delmarva Power in response to the surging energy costs.
Connely is in a Facebook group of other people with the same issue. He has also started avoiding turning on lights, hand washes all his dishes and avoids long showers to save energy.