 "Photo: Andrea Lai")
A recent $50 jump in anthropology and photojournalism senior Will Bratton's monthly energy bill took him by surprise.
Bratton, a military veteran, receives $1,250 a month in income from the military through the G.I. Bill to pay for his expenses.
"That extra $40 or $50 on my energy bill comes out of my food and transportation costs," Bratton said.
Bratton is one of many students and Austin residents who have seen higher energy bills in recent months. The city of Austin has seen record-setting demands for energy in the last week.
The summer's normal high temperatures and rising energy costs have contributed to more requests from utilities customers for help with paying high bills, said Valerie Harris, an Austin Energy community services coordinator. Austin Energy's Customer Assistance Program was one of several organizations represented Wednesday at a summit in Austin that focused on providing assistance to low-income families and individuals who cannot afford to pay their energy bills.
"We're discussing ways to increase funding, find new or better sources of energy and provide customers with energy-efficient tips," Harris said. "We want to help them save money and spend it wisely."
Among the topics discussed at the summit were conservation efforts, such as correcting thermostat settings or sealing windows to decrease the amount of cold air that escapes.
Some Austin businesses and organizations are taking larger steps. Alori Properties Management, a company that manages several apartment complexes in Central Austin, has replaced regular light bulbs with more energy-efficient fluorescent bulbs in its apartment units. The management company also recently installed more than 1,000 solar panels on complex roofs to power laundry rooms and parking lot lights. The city's solar rebate program refunded half the panels' cost.
"We wanted to reduce our pollution and carbon pollution," said Lew Aldridge, an Alori company partner. "We figured out how to do it economically, so we did it. We're now the largest solar-producing company in Austin."
For those with immediate problems paying their energy bills, Austin Energy works with a number of different organizations to provide financial assistance, Harris said. The organizations determine eligibility for assistance according to their own criteria and disperse funds provided by Austin Energy's Customer Assistance Program, which is funded by the city and by $2 donations customers can make when they pay their bills.
Students facing serious financial difficulties can contact Travis County, Capital IDEA or one of the several churches in the program to see if they qualify for assistance, Harris said. More information is available at AustinEnergy.com.
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