IBERIA PARISH — Some Iberia Parish residents say their natural gas bills have skyrocketed in recent months — leaving families worried about how they’ll manage rising costs.
The increase comes after Delta Utilities acquired CenterPoint Energy’s natural gas operations in Louisiana. But the company says the higher bills are tied to market conditions rather than the change in ownership.
Zachary Camacho, a resident in Iberia Parish, said the increase has already affected his household budget.
“Going from a potential at most $30 or $40 gas bill up now to a $150 gas bill — that affects us a lot,” Camacho said. “It affects our budget and the way we spend our money when it comes to groceries and everything else.”
Camacho said the jump in cost can be especially difficult for families already struggling financially.
“I think about those that are getting assistance, that are living paycheck to paycheck, where they're pinching pennies,” he said. “That’s a dramatic increase for them. Even if it’s double, that’s taking food from somebody’s kid. That’s how I look at it.”
Delta Utilities says the spike in bills is tied to weather conditions earlier this year. Sarah McLaughlin Porteous, the company’s vice president of communications and community development, said Winter Storm Fern drove natural gas market prices sharply higher.
“The increases that customers are talking about is that purchase gas adjustment — so the cost that we pay for natural gas,” Porteous said. “It’s a pass-through cost directly to customers. We don’t mark that up, and Delta certainly does not — nor does any other utility profit on the cost of natural gas.”
Porteous said colder temperatures across multiple regions increased demand for natural gas, driving prices up.
“The market is affected by the cold — not just here, but the cold everywhere,” she said. “As temperatures start to get warmer, usage will come down, demand will not be as high, and that should have a positive impact on what we’re seeing in the market.”
Porteous shared information about DU Cares, a Delta Utilities assistance program designed to help customers who may be struggling to pay their bills.
For now, some Iberia Parish residents say they’re still wondering when — or if — their bills will return to normal.
