MILFORD, Del. - Power bill costs are on the rise across the peninsula, and some business owners in Delaware are feeling the pressure. Angela Fitzgerald, a co-owner of the Milford Tavern and one of those impacted, told WBOC her power bill is on the rise.
"Unexpected costs in any area of a business are always a challenge to be dealt with," Fitzgerald said.
According to Fitzgerald, it especially comes as a challenge during the traditionally slow months of January and February.
"All of us are dealing with rising costs in every aspect of our lives," Fitzgerald said. "The easiest answer would be that we want our costs to go back down."
Delaware Representative Bryan Shupe, R-Milford, who owns two businesses in the state, agreed. "All of our buildings have seen an almost double increase in costs just from December to January."
One of those businesses is the Farmacy Market in Milford. Shupe said the power needed to run its multiple fridges has been costly.
"We've had to cut back on our investments wherever we can in our business," Shupe said. "Unfortunately, sometimes that's on products, sometimes that's on hours."
Shupe told WBOC he's had other business owners in his district reach out to him, searching for relief from costly bills. He said he wants Delaware's government to work more closely with power companies.
"How can we incentivize grid modernization, and more green energy that we can produce here in Delaware or on the Peninsula," Shupe asked, "instead of saying, 'You must have this much green energy by this date,' and in turn force energy costs to go up for the consumer?"
According to Shupe, a short-term relief bill is in the works in Delaware's General Assembly that, if passed, could potentially give some funds from electric fees back to consumers.