Alabama Power, gas companies offer assistance with expensive bills

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) – As the temperatures get ready to bottom out again, some people are nervous about how the cold snap will impact their power or gas bills. Some people already seeing dramatic spikes in their bills just from December.

Many people in central Alabama use Alabama Power or Spire Gas to heat their homes and each company has multiple options to help people pay their bills.

“Some people, they struggle, they might have a hard time, they may have had a layoff or they might just have had an unexpected high bill,” says Gail Cruz, community service specialist for Spire.

Both Alabama Power and Spire Gas have options on their bills where people can donate money that goes directly to helping customers who aren’t able to pay their bills for the month.

“Being able to offer the Dollar Help Program to some of our customers and being able to keep them going for another month until things get better is a great thing to be able to offer,” Cruz said.

“It is a very popular program. It started in 1982 and in that time, $40 million has been provided to help 385,000 families keep their power on,” says Anthony Cook, the media relations principal for Alabama Power.

Some people’s gas bills more than doubled this pay cycle, forcing them to re-budget in order to afford it.

“I was just talking to my daughter today, I said I’m going to have to cut down on other things that I’m doing,” Homewood resident Charlotte Crow said. “Not eat as much and make sure I have complete, full loads before I wash clothes or wash dishes. Just be real careful with everything I’m doing.”

Others feel lucky to live in places that have controlled utilities included in rent.

“My power bill is the only utility I pay and I would say that’s like $75 a month and really hasn’t moved,” Tuscaloosa resident Kaitlyn Estes said.

For more information on how to qualify for budget billing or the donation programs with Alabama Power or Spire Gas, call their customer service lines. These numbers can be found on the websites at www.alabamapower.com or www.spireenergy.com.