The energy companies have us over a barrel.

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I live in a small neighborhood, and my only choice for energy is Entergy, and there is no natural gas. Recently, Entergy changed our meter to a newer type that can be read remotely. Like many in the area, my bill almost doubled the first month, but I have friends in the subdivision who’s bill tripled. Entergy insists, the old meters were unreliable and slowed over time, so they weren’t reflecting an accurate reading. But am I to assume the readings were off by 50% or more? Recently, I learned that the agency that oversees Entergy allows them to charge customers for any undue cost they incur in an emergency, like the cost of new phone polls, overtime, etc. So, theoretically, I could have less usage one month over the previous one and still have my bill astronomically higher because the surcharges are so high. One of my wife’s co-workers bill was so high, she’s now afraid to cook a simple meal on her electric stove for fear of it raising her bill. With the push by the new administration to embrace new green energies and regulations, these bills will only get higher and higher, making what was a previously affordable house, unaffordable to live in. I’m basically at the mercy of a monopoly.

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