HomeLocal governmentGRU rate and fuel adjustment increases lead to 20.5% bill increase over 3 months

GRU rate and fuel adjustment increases lead to 20.5% bill increase over 3 months

November 30, 2021
Photo by Robert Linder on Unsplash

BY JENNIFER CABRERA

Gainesville Regional Utilities (GRU) will raise the Electric Fuel Adjustment charge on December 1 for the second month in a row, adding to the increased rates from October 1 and increasing the total electric bill, including taxes, for 1000 kWh from $135.93 in September 2021 to $163.77 in December 2021.

A video sent out by GRU to customers states that the charge is an adjustment based on the cost of natural gas that is used in GRU’s electric generating plants. GRU says it is a “pass-through” charge that adjusts for gas prices “that are soaring worldwide.” The video also says that the increases are being spread over months in which electricity usage is lower and that they are using the biomass plant more instead of the natural gas plants.

Residential electric rates went up on October 1, 2021, from $0.0745/kWh to $0.0797/kWh for the first 850 kilowatt-hours (Tier 1) and from $0.0987/kWh to $0.1056/kWh for usage over 850 kWh (Tier 2). The Electric Fuel Adjustment charge in September was $0.03/kWh, and it increased to $0.04/kWh in November and $0.05/kWh in December. The Electric Customer Charge also increased from $15/month to $16/month on October 1.

The result is a 20.5% increase in the total electric bill for a household using 1000 kWh/month and a 20.3% increase for a household using 750 kWh/month. The increase just since October has been over 14% for all households.

The Purchased Gas Adjustment, a similar adjustment for natural gas users, increased from $0.023 to $0.038 on November 1 and will increase again to $0.05 on December 1.

Electric rates are set by the Gainesville City Commission, while GRU sets the fuel adjustment charges.

In an email to the Gainesville City Commission, GRU General Manager Ed Bielarski wrote, “GRU will continue to evaluate fuel costs based on actual and projected expenses and anticipates the need for further increases as we enter the winter months, when cold weather typically drives up the price of natural gas, coal and oil.”

  • Where’s all the praise from the liberal idiots? How you like those rates + inflation + taxes?

    The idiots you elected are causing homelessness. I guess that would make all you dumb voters accessories to what they’re causing. Time to find something else to protest. You are all hypocrites…that is the real truth.

    Let’s go Brandon, Poe & Co.!!!

    • I lived in Lake City that’s Republican I paid just as much if not more. I do have to say here I have to conserve like a $&’jhh I’m afraid to use a light, flush the toilet. I have to watch everything. I was clothes once a month, in Lake city I used what I wanted it was the same but I was cool and can use a lot more water and electricity. I hate Knew moving here GRU would kick my ass. All the f liberals don’t f care. Maybe all section 8 and get LHEAP and EBB. I was in Walmart they will just tell you, I’m on a voucher – no kidding why you have 3 carts of food a nice car and I’m sweating to buy food. They buy it all out so I’m lucky for me and my son who don’t eat the store out can get some meat. They get PEBT now, even though kids are in school and it has been open. Well to all those that get free phone and internet your days of that EBB will end bc it’s only til Covid ends, (it won’t) and until the money is exhausted. I looked the 2.2 billion budget for it they spent up to almost $1 billion that’s was in a ye so you won’t have it but maybe a yr had a half bc the money will run out. So you free butts will have to pay, it’s liberal bc why not you don’t have to pay rent you don’t have to pay for phone & internet. But they walk around in Nike everything, trash housing.. have a nice car I’m an way f confused we all know they f cheat the system bad. I wish they drug test section 8 or bet them. But it’s a f joke. We suffer bc we pay the high taxes for these ppl. I plan on moving out of Alachua soon.

      • Unfortunately you sound very ignorant and jealous. If you want government benefits then apply and hope you get it. Don’t berate and judge others because you don’t know their circumstances. Drug test section 8 recipients!? Your pulling crap out of a bag and calling it facts. Do your research and stop trying to downplay your inability to support your lifestyle. Do better!

  • INFLATION IS HERE – Natural gas prices have been racing higher and are now 99% higher year-to-date, on combination of supply concerns and rising demand. Natural gas is expected to keep rising, and if there is an especially cold winter, Goldman Sachs analysts see the potential for another doubling of price. The jump in prices will impact some consumers who use it for heat, and utilities and companies that use it in production processes. So the price of nearly everything will be inflationary even though there is a plentiful supply of natural gas. This sounds more like a drop in the value of the dollar.

    • Inflation? Yes! And That was the result of paying people not to work and it redistributed the wealth.

  • Damn glad I have solar (first started in 2006, and expanded a few times since) and Tesla batteries. No billable electric use for me for the last 3 years. Ready for my electric car, and more solar panels. Now to get those service charges to go away…would need a lot more batteries.

    • Gonna have to connect to the grid for that battery car
      And Brandon wants to tax you per mile. Batteries made
      In China. Very polutey to make batteries . Windmills
      Aren’t the answer either. Need fossil fuels or nuclear.
      .

    • BusinessInsider (8/17/21): Firefighters tackling a Tesla blaze in Austin (Texas) said they had to use 40 times more water than for a regular vehicle fire because of the car’s lithium battery cell

      • factoid – lithium burns in (& under) water! Once ignited the lithium sucks the O2 molecule directly out of the water, molecule! SO very bad idea 💡 to try to extinguish a lithium fire with water!
        factoid 2 – underwater flairs, used by divers, are made with Li

  • I accidentally left my water hose running slowly after
    Cleaning my car windshield one night….I turned it off
    When I saw it still running 48 hours. This resulted in
    My water bill being like $200! The wastewater bill
    Was higher than the water bill….that wastewater bill
    Is usurious.

        • I don’t have a hose it’s Gainesville I jump my ass in the shower get out. I wash clothes once a month. I reuse my towels several times. Lake city you never had to do this. Leave a light on or use water you pay and the f taxes on my GRU is insane. Republican is cheaper but no one understands that. For the ppl that want to live off the gov Republicans allow you to do stop voting demon rats 🐀 you will get your free f housing.

          • Yes. I understand…affordable housing means
            Housing paid for by taxpayers…free housing…

    • wastewater was “capped” @ January & February usage rates to avoid paying sewage fee on water used outdoors
      BUT
      all that changed October 1st! In addition to rate hikes there is no more “winter max” wastewater cap.
      GRU isn’t as as much a utility service as it’s an extortion racket!

  • GRU is politically blocked from buying natural gas on long term markets, the disadvantage of a gov’t own utility. Because doing so would violate the “climate change” doomsday cult’s pagan beliefs. So, they must buy on volatile spot markets the way the politically correct EU buys from Russia, with highly inflated heating bills this winter, too.

  • Ok…going off topic here:
    Anyone still wearing a face mask is a commie…
    I can say this with 99.9% confidence.

  • For the current voting idiots who keep these thieves in control…

    https://www.newsbreak.com/news/2448884815298/fl-auditor-general-finds-city-employees-didn-t-know-how-to-write-financial-statements

    https://mycbs4.com/news/local/fl-auditor-general-finds-city-employees-didnt-know-how-to-write-financial-statements

    Instead of having a tattoo indicating they’re vaccinated, maybe they should have a tattoo on their forehead that says they voted for idiots or criminals.

  • Agenda2030 MissionCreepy while harvesting humanity annually with CorporateCovidCarbonTeam that wants GoodYou dead eventually

    • InflationaryWhoresWannaTortureMore WithBiggerFakerFederalReserveFiends CyberSellingFiscal-irresponsibility-CBDC (CentralBankDigitalCurrency) leashed to your brainwaves and heartbeats for CorporateCovidCarbonHateTeam

  • Po and crew blow. Git gone out of the city YOU have made a Hell Hole! And take your white boy lap dog “adrian” wit ya!

  • Oh My Goodness , Oh my Soul, The COG and Biomass Eight have dug quite a hole

  • How much fossil fuel is used to mine the rare metals used to make all of those batteries for alternative energy like solar, wind, and to make car batteries?

  • Just moved from a home with Clay Electric to GRU. First bill for electric is already 3X higher. Guess I will have to give up heat and lights for Christmas. Joe Biden says “I did that.” Let’s go Brandon

  • Maybe if the City, County, State and Federal customers actually paid late fees, that would help? UF, Santa Fe, City buildings, County Buildings, the VA hospital….. All exempt from late fees. That’s right, you get charged a late fee if you can’t pay on time but the government exempts themselves from those rules. 27-14, City ordinances.

    (e)In addition to other rates and charges established by this chapter, a service charge in accordance with the schedule set out in Appendix A shall be assessed as a late fee on any combined statement not paid in full by the close of business 22 days after being rendered. The United States of America, the State of Florida, and all political subdivisions, agencies, boards, commissions, and instrumentalities thereof, are exempt from the payment of the late fee imposed and levied thereby.

  • What the hell! Ain’t democratic or Republicans just asswipes GRU loved living in new berry , great company! If they can do it so low why can’t you- headed out next year to a different place! GRU you are insane!

  • Maybe if the commissioners and team who handle and allocate money had more financial education, GRU wouldn’t be drowning in debt and it wouldn’t be placed on the shoulders of their residents. Terrible city management and lack of leadership… it will just cause the residents to move elsewhere and tell me how that will financially benefit the city?

    • >