Georgia Power just lowered its fuel rate. So why are power bills still high?

Many Georgians are likely seeing higher electric bills as the summer weather warms up. That’s typical, and it’s still happening this year even though Georgia Power just lowered the rate it charges for fuel.

Two of the main factors in a power bill — how much energy you use and the rate the utility charges — both increase in the summer. Cranking up the air conditioning to fight rising summer heat drives up a household’s energy use. And millions of people all over Georgia running their ACs can put a strain on the whole grid.

“When we need to produce more energy at a peak load like that, especially from hours from the hours of 2 p.m. to 7 p.m., it does cost more to create energy,” said Georgia Power spokesperson Matthew Kent.