The Mildura resident believes her monthly bill was so high because she had been using the air-con when temperatures where over 40C. (Source: Supplied/Instagram)
Australians have been sweltering through high temperatures this summer, with Victorian temperatures soaring to the highest levels ever recorded at 48.9C this week. The extreme weather means running the air-conditioner is a necessity, not a luxury, for most residents – but it can come at an exorbitant price.
Mildura resident Laureena Mierswa-Wilkinson was taken aback this week to receive a nearly $700 electricity bill for the month, covering mid-December to mid-January. She told Yahoo Finance it covered the weeks where temperatures were consistently above 40C and she and her husband had been running the air-con to stay cool.
“I was shocked. We haven’t had a bill that high before. I was pretty shocked by it being nearly $700 for one month,” she said.
RELATED
The couple’s bills are usually between $120 and $170 a month, but over the last few weeks, they had been running the air-con when they were home from work during most of the morning and in the evening.
Mierswa-Wilkinson believes the bill is accurate, given the couple’s high energy usage for the month and the rates they are on. Looking at her bill, some days were costing $40 when they had the air-con running.
“It was just the heat. You can turn off all your lights and your appliances, but when it’s 40 degrees, you don’t have a choice. You’ve got to have the air-con on, or you suffer,” she said.
Mildura resident Laureena Mierswa-Wilkinson says many people are now choosing to swelter through stifling temperatures to avoid big energy bills. (Source: Supplied/Weather Zone)
Mildura, a regional city in Victoria’s north-west, recorded the hottest day in its history at 48.6C on Tuesday. Temperatures are forecast to remain above 40C until at least Sunday.
“We’re still only in January and February is typically the hottest month in Mildura, so we’ll probably get some more long stints that are above 40C,” Mierswa-Wilkinson said.
High energy costs mean some Aussies are being confronted with a devastating choice.
A recent survey by Everybody’s Home, a group which campaigns for housing availability, found two in five respondents had gone without essentials such as food or medical care to afford energy bills, with people describing choosing between running the air-con or buying groceries, or sitting in the stifling heat because they are worried about their next bill.
Half of those surveyed also reported cutting back on their energy use, including heating and cooling, in the past year to cope with housing costs.
Story Continues
Mierswa-Wilkinson said everyday working-class people were simply not able to keep up with the rising cost of living, with staying cool in the heat now becoming a “luxury”.
Do you have a story to share? Contact tamika.seeto@yahooinc.com
She and her husband are looking for ways to lower their next electricity bill, including comparing plans and setting the air-con, when it is on, to a higher temperature.
“Unfortunately, if that means you might have to suffer a little bit to be able to keep up with the cost of paying electricity, then that’s what you’re going to have to do if you’re not in a position to be able to afford that,” she said.
“We can’t afford $700 a month ongoing. It’s just not sustainable.”
Finder utilities expert Mariam Gabaji told Yahoo Finance many Australians would be facing higher electricity bills than usual due to the recent hot weather and heatwaves.
“Heating and cooling can account for 40 to 50 per cent of your energy bill,” she said, including when all your other appliances are running at the same time.
Gabaji urged people struggling with their bills to reach out to their electricity provider for support, as they may offer payment assistance.
She also recommended checking if you were eligible for any government rebates or concessions.
“It is unfortunate and it’s something that a lot of Australians are grappling with during the summer, now that it’s getting even hotter,” she said.
It may also be possible to reduce your costs by doing things around the house like sealing up any draughts, Gabaji said, making sure the filters on your air conditioners are cleaned out and setting it at a higher temperature.
Comparing energy plans can also be worthwhile, with energy providers now required to prominently display on your bill how much you could save by changing to their cheapest plan roughly every three months.
Mierswa-Wilkinson said she’d like to see more transparency around energy pricing and support for regional communities during heatwaves, as they often have limited options.
“You want to be comfortable and not suffer,” she said.
“We’re fortunate enough to live in a country where you’d think that having air-con would just be part of everyday life, but unfortunately, it’s not the case anymore.”
Get the latest Yahoo Finance news – follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram.