The dog days of summer are here. Temperatures in the Ark-La-Tex are rising and that means you may be using more energy to cool your homes and businesses and experiencing a higher electric bill as a result.

This increase could be even more amplified this summer if you're spending more time at home due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

For example, one Louisiana residential customer who used 843 KwH in June 2019, saw her energy use jump to 1,158 KwH for the same month this year after she began working from home. That increase translated to roughly a $31 increase on her bill.

SWEPCO has programs and tools to help customers manage high bills. If you're having difficulty paying your bill, the first step is to contact our customer service representatives at 1-877-446-7211 (or 1-800-723-7430 if you reside in North Texas/Panhandle).

Depending on the situation we may be able to help:

• Enroll in AMP (Average Monthly Payment). AMP evens out payments throughout the year to account for seasonal spikes in usage. Bills adjust on a 12-month rolling average and change only slightly each month, making bills more predictable. More information is also available at SWEPCO.com/AMP.
• Set up a payment plan. In cases where bill payments have fallen behind, it may make sense to consider setting up a payment arrangement. Phone representatives can describe specifics based on each situation.
• Refer you to agencies and charities that offer financial assistance for electric bills. We can provide eligibility guidelines, contact information and program specifics for local and state assistance organizations, and work with those organizations to verify information and accept agency assistance pledges.

In addition, if you have questions on the accuracy of meter readings. your SWEPCO bill will include important details that address this question and more. The information also is available on the SWEPCO app. Some details to review: 

• Check whether the bill is estimated or based on an actual reading under “Meter Read Details” at the top of page 2 of the bill. More than 99 percent of bills each month are based on actual usage. SWEPCO uses radio frequency meters to collect meter readings remotely by vehicle. The practice is more efficient, safer and ensures almost everyone receives a bill that reflects an actual reading.
• Check the number of days being billed by looking at the “Current Bill Summary” on the first page. Billing periods can vary between 28 and 35 days, which can impact the overall bill amount.
• Compare the average daily cost to the previous month or to the same billing period the previous year by looking at “Usage Details.”
• Compare the average temperature for the current billing period to the month before and to the same period the previous year by looking at “Usage Details.”

Learn more at SWEPCO.com/highbill.