Utilities in Arizona annually prepare for the hot summer months, but more people are staying home this summer. And increased demand has resulted in higher residential utility bills.  

Utility prices are usually more expensive in the summer. But this year residents are dealing with one of the driest monsoon seasons in the state and a pandemic on top of record breaking temperatures. 

In response to COVID-19, both APS and SRP have come out with their own payment options for customers affected by the pandemic.  

Patty Likens, an SRP spokesperson, said SRP is working with customers on an individual basis.

“If customers with past due electric bills have not called to set up any kind of payment arrangement by Oct. 1, we will place them on a payment plan to help spread out that payment of their total balance," said Likens.

APS spokesperson Alan Bunnell says residential utility sales have increased 4% during the pandemic, but it’s the heat that is the contributing factor for residential usage, specifically how hot it stays in the evenings. 

“We’ve already broken the record for the number of days that it stays at 90 degrees as the lowest temperature overnight," said Bunnell.