Editor, The Progress:

I am concerned over the increase to my power bill. I can best illustrate my reason by the attached copies of my power bills.

Reference power bill #1. Note that this bill is for 1800 KWH for a total amount of $183.92 at an average cost per day at $5.74

Now reference power bill #2. This bill is for 1818 KHS for a total amount of $224.92 at an average cost per day at $7.02.

This is a $41 increase for basically the same power consumption, and increase of 21.6 percent. I like many of your customers, am retired and on a fixed income and have a hard time paying this kind of increase.

This is a substantial increase during our present economic condition. Blue Ridge Electric issues pamphlets and publications on how to converse energy and reduce energy cost. This is paradoxical and deceives your customers into believing that you are interested in reducing their power cost when you increase their power bill by more than will possibly be saved by reducing power consumption.

I don’t know if any of your other customers have contacted you on this matter. If they have not, it does not mean that they haven’t noticed and are concerned.

It’s very unfortunate that we do not have a choice on who we can purchase electricity. You, like most utility companies, have your customers blocked with nowhere else to turn.

I am going to send a copy of this letter to our governor, lieutenant governor, newspapers and anyone else I think would be interested.