Erath residents ask officials questions about electrical bill

ERATH — The Erath City Council meeting was jam packed with residents who have questions about their electricity bills.
What residents are reading on their electric bills are two charges that equal to one high charge.
Example: Alderman Robert Vincent used the example of his electrical bill at the meeting.
His house consumed 3002 kilowatts of electricity in August. The bill shows $147.10 for amount of electricity used and a $192.88 power/fuel charge.
His total bill was $339.98.
What people are having a hard time understanding is why the “power/fuel” charge is more than the electrical bill itself.
Resident Jason Connor, who had a electric/sewerage bill charge of $625 for August, met with Erath’s CPA Fayette Dupre the day of the meeting in hopes of getting a simple explanation how does the town come up with a power/fuel charge and an electrical charge.
Connor also met with Erath Mayor John Earl LeBlanc and a couple of aldermen in search of answers. He was still confused.
At the meeting, he had questions as to how the town of Erath comes up with the two amounts and is there anyway the aldermen can find ways to try to reduce the rates.
“The bill needs to be explained,” Connor told the aldermen. “The bill is not clear and needs to be better explained.”
Vincent tried his best to explain why the charges are what they are.
Before mailing out each bill, the town multiplies the amount of kilowatts used time 4.9 cents. So, Vincent used 3002 kilowatts in August. When you multiply 4.9 cents times 3002 kilowatts it equals to $147.10.
The town keeps all of $145.10 and the money goes into the general fund account to operate the town. One third of the town’s operating budget comes from the revenue generated from 4.9 cents times the amount of kilowatts used.
In addition, Slemco multiplying an additional 6.4 cents to the amount of kilowatts used.
For example, Vincent’s 3002 kilowatts are multiplied times 6.4 cents (this number fluctuates each month). Slemco gets all of the $192.88.
That $192.88 is then added to $147.10 and Vincent’s bill is $339.98.
When you add 4.9 cents and 6.4 cents, Erath residents are paying 11.3 cents per kilowatt.
Residents in Abbeville and Kaplan pay a total of 8 cents a kilowatt.
Connor did some research to see what other cities are paying for fuel charge and to his amazement, no other municipalities are coming close to what Erath residents are paying. Abbeville residents are paying 3.1 cents, while Delcambre is paying 2.6 cents. It is more than 50 percent less than Erath.
Residents who attended the meeting said the high electrical cost is not helping the town grow. It is actually preventing new businesses and residents from locating in Erath.
Connor said a $500 electrical bill in Erath is only $386 in Abbeville. It is a savings of $1,300 a year.
The aldermen promised help is on the way. The town is searching for cheaper electrical rates from three other companies. They are expected to sign a new contract with a new electrical company in January of 2016.
“Our electrical bills are high, we understand that,” said alderman Robert Vincent. “Savings are coming in January.”
Vincent said where the town is looking at trimming is the 4.9 cents per kilowatt it charges each resident. But if it lowers the 4.9 cents, it also means less money for the town’s budget.
“We are going to be looking at the budget and seeing what we can cut,” Vincent said.