Saturday, Jan. 30, 2010

Lines for help stretch as utility bills surge

Cold catches some off guard

Dawn Abdulmani of Myrtle Beach has seen her utility bill more than quadruple in the last month, she said.

Abdulmani, who was at Helping Hand of Myrtle Beach on Wednesday, said her bill is typically $35 a month, but this month's bill is $159 - the highest she has ever seen it.

Abdulmani was looking for food Wednesday from Helping Hand, but she also is concerned about her heating bill. She said she will wait another month to see if her next bill is as high before she asks the agency for help with her utility bill.

Charity officials in both Carolinas said they are bracing for a flood of requests after customers open heating bills that reflect usage during the South's recent unusual cold snap. Some said it could push average charges up 50 percent.

"I did not run my heat," said Abdulmani, who just lost her job. "I didn't run my heat because I knew I wasn't going to be able to afford a big bill. No way I can pay it. Something's wrong."

Adrian Weatherwax, executive director at Helping Hand of Myrtle Beach, said so far this month her agency has helped 228 households with rent or utility bills, compared with 141 households last January.

"It has placed a burden on us," Weatherwax said. She said the agency is seeing 120 clients a day.

South Carolina Electric & Gas, the state's largest private utility, has seen a 50 percent increase in people seeking help with billsrecently, spokesman Eric Boomhower said. And the number of calls related to bills is up 20 percent from last year.

"Now we're seeing more and more folks who maybe have never faced that type of a situation before," Boomhower said.

SCE&G officials said that company set a new record for winter peak demand on Jan.12 when customers consumed 4,720 megawatts, exceeding the previous winter record set in January 2008.

Santee Cooper officials said that in the last two months, the average electricity consumption by homes has increased 75 percent.

"I do keep my heat on all the time, but I haven't been home much," said Maggie Covington, who was at Helping Hand on Wednesday with a friend. Covington said her bill rose from $83 last month to $94 this month.

"They are overcharging. It's unnecessary, especially this time of year with the recession as it is now. It's tough," said Covington, who is on disability.

Gail Steinfield, director of Churches Assisting People, said she thinks "it's going to get worst next month because the bills coming in now are from December" when the cold streak began.

"It's hard to get people not to turn the temperature up and keep it in the 60s because they are cold," said Steinfield, who said her agency has seen at least a 30 percent increase in the number of people looking for help.

In December, 6,375 people received more than $2.28 million in help with energy bills through South Carolina's Office of Economic Opportunity. That was up from 4,792 people who got more than $1.48 million in December 2008, according to Bertie McKie, manager of South Carolina's community services and energy assistance programs.

Socastee resident Joey Cockman, who said his utility bill nearly doubled in the past month to $230, also sought help this week from Helping Hand. He was referred to another agency because he does not live inside Myrtle Beach.

"Being laid off and having little income isn't helping," Cockman said. "It's tough. It's been slow looking for another job. All I've been able to find is part time." Cockman was laid off from his delivery job late last year and then found a part-time stock position at a local grocery.

Carl Harmon, founder of Caring and Sharing Inc., a charity that gives senior citizens and disabled individuals food, financial help and other types of aid, said calls to his agency concerning utility bills have increased as much as 25 percent.

The two-week nationwide cold snap was especially hard on Southerners, ill-equipped to deal with the frigid weather.

Some parts of Alabama reported 10 straight days of subfreezing temperatures and an average of 24.8 degrees - the coldest start to a year on record there. In South Florida, usually around 68 degrees in January, the National Weather Service reported a record low of 36 degrees at the Miami airport, beating an 82-year-old record of 37 degrees.

Even before the cold snap, more people were seeking help. Caring and Sharing serves all of Williamsburg and Georgetown counties and parts of Horry, Florence and Marion counties.

"It puts a challenge on everybody," Harmon said. "It's really been an unreal time."

In North Carolina, the Brunswick Family Assistance Agency helped 260 more families with utilities the first 15 days of this year than the same period last year.

"Due partially to the colder weather this year and the declining economic status in Brunswick County, we served 319 client households with a total of $22,000 in utility assistance during the first 15 days of January 2010," Executive Director Joe Cannon said.

Utility companies also have programs to help their customers who have a hard time with their utility bills.

Cannon said a large portion of the funding for his agency's utility assistance comes from the Brunswick Electric Membership Corporation "Warm Homes, Warm Hearts" program.

Santee Cooper offers several home energy efficiency rebates and initiatives through its new Reduce The Use campaign, officials said. Details about services and other programs are available at www.reducetheuse.com.

SCE&G offers the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, Budget Billing, a fixed income plan, a medical certificate plan, a deferred payment plan, and Project Share.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.