An Oklahoma woman opened a $1,373 electric bill, including a $598 deposit after late payments

When Raelynn McMurchy opened her electricity bill this month, the amount was more than twice her family's monthly rent. The bill totalled $1,373, including a $598 security deposit that her power company required after she fell behind on earlier payments.

Faced with the choice of keeping the electricity on or paying for other basic needs, the Tulsa resident started an online petition calling for changes to the state's rising energy costs. McMurchy is among a growing number of customers struggling to pay their electricity bills as long periods of extreme summer heat push power use and monthly charges higher across the region. As reported by Scott Horsley for NPR and Ideastream Public Media, electricity prices have risen faster than general inflation, leaving many households facing growing debt and the risk of having their power disconnected.

Extreme heat drives up electricity use

Public Service Company of Oklahoma (PSO), the area's main electricity provider, earlier this year asked state regulators to approve a 15 per cent increase in residential electricity rates. Under a proposed agreement reached with the Oklahoma Attorney General's office, the increase was reduced to about 1 per cent. However, even with basic rates mostly unchanged, household bills have climbed because of extreme weather.

Tulsa recorded more than twice its usual number of days with temperatures reaching 100 degrees Fahrenheit (37.8 degrees Celsius) this season. The continued heat has forced air conditioners and fans to run for long hours, sharply increasing electricity use.

High shutoff rates hurt struggling families

For households already finding it difficult to pay their bills, the risk of losing electricity is a serious concern. A US Department of Energy review of utility shutoffs in 2024 found that PSO disconnected customers for non-payment at more than five times the national average rate.

In the Tulsa service area, at least 19,000 customers have their electricity shut off each month because of unpaid bills. Some states ban utility companies from disconnecting electricity during periods of extreme summer heat because of the health risks.

Oklahoma does not have the same protection. Rules overseen by the Oklahoma Corporation Commission allow power companies to disconnect customers as long as the heat index stays below 101 degrees Fahrenheit (38.3 degrees Celsius).

Consumer groups have repeatedly asked state regulators to lower that limit. They argue that dangerously hot indoor conditions can develop well before the outdoor heat index reaches 101 degrees. “I wish every corporation commissioner had to sit in a house that had no electricity when it's 95,” said Joanne Pearson, president of the Helping Hand Ministry in downtown Tulsa.

Local charities struggle to meet demand

The growing financial pressure has also placed a heavy burden on community organisations that help residents avoid losing power.

At the Helping Hand Ministry office, across from First Presbyterian Church in downtown Tulsa, residents line up every Monday and Tuesday morning with notices warning that their electricity will be disconnected. The charity spends as much as $14,000 a week on emergency assistance. The money comes from local foundations and church donations and is used to help residents delay or prevent power shutoffs.

Volunteer John Johnson often contacts PSO's parent company, American Electric Power, to negotiate partial payments for people facing immediate disconnection. In one case, a $350 emergency payment helped retail worker Ashley Fonseca Mejia keep her electricity connected. “It is a relief,” Fonseca Mejia said. “These bills have been skyrocketing.” The problem is not limited to low-income households. Some full-time workers are also struggling to handle sudden increases in their bills. Eric Widger, who works at a nearby Kimberly-Clark manufacturing plant, saw his monthly electricity bill double to around $500. “Payday for me is Friday, and they were going to cut it off Thursday,” Widger said. “I have had it cut off before. It's really heartbreaking because you may have to pay 700 USD or 800 USD just to turn it back on.” Pearson said working families are increasingly being forced to choose between basic needs. “It's like they're jugglers and they've got all these balls in the air,” Pearson said. “Do I pay rent, do I pay the electric bill. Do I feed my family? It's constant, and it's never-ending.” With hotter weather continuing to push up electricity use across the central United States, residents and consumer groups such as McMurchy are calling for changes to security deposit rules and stronger protections against summer shutoffs. They want regulators to act before the next period of extreme heat puts more households at risk of losing power.