Xcel Energy Wants More Money From Amarillo Customers

February seems to be an eternity away. Yep all that ice and snow that wreaked havoc on us in the Panhandle gave away to a relatively moderate summer with a few hotspots and some much needed rain. But the folks at Xcel seem to still have winter storm Uri on their minds and more specifically their wallets. When they don't have the cash guess what... the costs get passed on to you guessed it... You and me.

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A few months back the folks at Xcel asked for $76 million bucks which meant the average consumer would see a $3.84 rise in their bills over the next two years. It turns out they may have underestimated the fuel costs and have asked the Texas Public Utility Commission for another $26 million dollars which would take that $3.84 rate hike up to about $5.00.

It could have been worse

Things got really bad back in February, while we were lucky enough to not have seen some of the more wild effects that the rest of the state dealt with because of the surge in fuel costs, Xcel still felt that pain too. while nobody likes to pay more on their bills than they absolutely have to at least the power company is spreading it out over two years instead of the standard terms that the Public Utility Commission offers which is just a year.

While the increase is still waiting to be approved, there are plenty of great resources here in the Panhandle for those who might need a little extra help with their bills. Panhandle Community Services offers assistance as does Amarillo ISD. Both the City of Amarillo and Potter County also offer these options if you need them. In case you're wondering about this winter the folks over at Farmers Almanac say while it's going to be cold we wont see as much snow this year.