Electric bills are climbing across Montgomery County, leaving many residents and business owners struggling to keep up with rising costs. For some, the increase has been dramatic and unexpected, forcing households and small businesses to rethink their budgets.
“I almost had a heart attack,” said Dilcia Lazo, owner of Manna Hair Salon, after opening a recent bill for $1,224 more than triple what she typically pays during the winter months. She says her past winter bills were around $350, making this year’s spike especially overwhelming despite operating the same business.
Retired homeowner Adel Nahkla says the increase is especially difficult for those living on fixed incomes. His family’s electric bill more than doubled, rising from just over $195 last year to more than $460 this year. “It impacted us a lot because I’m on a pension, Social Security,” he said. “It’s kind of impacted us drastically.” Nahkla added that many residents were caught off guard by the sudden jump in costs.
So what’s driving the increase?
Utility provider Pepco says the main factor is the rising cost of energy supply, not delivery rates. According to the company, a combination of fewer power plants online, growing demand from electric vehicles, and energy-intensive industries such as data centers has pushed prices higher across the region.
“Whenever there’s a shortage of something and there’s high demand for something, prices have gone up,” said William Ellis, Director of Government & External Affairs at Pepco. “And that’s what we’re seeing on the energy side of the customer’s bill.” Pepco also says it is working to help customers better understand their bills through education campaigns and tools like budget billing.
Beware of scams
Local experts note that how electricity is billed can also contribute to confusion, especially for renters. The Montgomery County Office of Consumer Protection advises residents to carefully review their bills and agreements if they suspect issues. Investigator Matthew Kaufman says his office can step in to help resolve disputes between tenants and landlords. “We can talk to them about what’s happened with their bill,” he said. “We can discuss it with the landlord and try to reconcile between the two of them.”
He also warns residents to be cautious of scams. “Never take something that someone says for granted unless they put it in writing,” Kaufman said. “If they say your utility bills are going to be zero, it better be in the contract… or you cannot rely on it.”
Where to find help
Weather is another key factor driving up bills. Colder winter temperatures have led to increased energy use, further raising monthly costs for many households. At the same time, demand for assistance is growing across the county.
Montgomery County’s energy assistance programs have seen a significant surge in applications. “This year we’ve already taken in over 15,000, there’s a 28% increase,” said Deneisha White, Lead Worker with Montgomery County Energy Assistance. “A lot of them, that balance is too high for them to be able to maintain.”
For now, there’s no single fix to bring those bills down, but while leaders work toward long-term solutions, residents are being urged to stay proactive, monitor their energy use, and seek assistance before costs become unmanageable.
