“While I’m trying to get gas and groceries to make sure my pipes don’t explode, the last thing I’m thinking about is a $ 7,000 bill from my dealership,” Upshaw told CNN’s Fredricka Whitfield via Skype on Saturday.
It is also offering customers a way to use an emergency provider if their current provider is not available, but it is likely that this program will not apply to people who have voluntarily changed their electric company.
CNN contacted PUCT for clarification, but did not receive a response immediately.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott is calling an emergency meeting to examine the situation, he said in a statement.
“It is unacceptable for Texans who suffered for days in the freezing cold without electricity or heat now being hit by skyrocketing energy costs,” said Abbott. “To protect families, I am actively working with the vice governor, the mayor and members of the legislature to develop solutions that ensure that Texans are not caught in excessive spikes in their energy bills.”
Upshaw told CNN that he tried to move from Griddy to another electricity supplier, but the new company continued to postpone its start date.
Griddy charges customers at a market rate that varies depending on current energy prices. Its website says that customers “pay exactly the price for which we buy electricity”. But with the winter storm raging in Texas, Griddy’s prices soared.
“While we value our members, we want even more of what is best for their wallet and family, even if it means helping them move to our competitors,” said the company.
For now, Upshaw, the Dallas resident, exchanged his registered credit card with Griddy for one that was busted to make sure he can’t be charged for more. However, even while retaining power, his bill continued to rise, he said.
Neighbors and friends who have accounts with Griddy told Upshaw that the charges “dropped their entire checking account, went to their savings accounts, they cannot pay the rent,” he said.
“We have friends who have been without power for 48 hours who came (to my house), and I said, I mean, we are paying for this electricity, it is better for other people to use it,” said Upshaw, adding that he is grateful to be alive and healthy.
The state agency says it is working with “energy producers, pipeline operators and electrical regulators to provide the support they need for natural gas deliveries”.
Although established as a rail regulator, the commission has regulated the state’s oil and gas industry for nearly 100 years, according to the group’s website.
“Texans have been through a lot of difficulties during this winter storm without worrying about unexpected additional energy costs,” Commissioner Wayne Christian said in a statement. “Our agency will do everything in our power to ensure that dealerships have plenty of time to cover these unexpected expenses, so that consumers are not unduly overwhelmed.”
Melissa Mahtani and Adrienne Vogt of CNN contributed to this report.