Thursday, March 28, 2024

Angry about your NTUA bill? Some utility customers rage over high bills

WINDOW ROCK

Some utility customers are concerned about the high bills they have received this past year.

Some Navajo Tribal Utility Authority customers say they see an increase of hundreds of dollars. Now, there is a concern that their utilities will be shut off.
Chinle Chapter President Rosanna Jumbo-Fitch is concerned for low-income families, single parents, and others who struggle with the cost of living. She has also been hearing the complaints of high NTUA bills and says the company needs to do better in keeping the people updated on billing costs and what can be done about it.

“NTUA will need to be upfront in explaining their costs to their customers,” Jumbo-Fitch said in an interview with the Navajo Times. “So, the community has a full understanding on why, as this is the question that lacks to be answered in most cases and causes confusion.

“Overall, the increase in costs will affect the community members financially,” she said.

NTUA’s Deputy Chief Financial Officer Gerard Curley said he apologizes for the lack of clarity and assures that the residential customer rates hadn’t increased in nearly a decade for electricity and that there are other factors as to why the prices are high.

Four components determine the overall billing charging for NTUA customers: the usage charge, service charge, power charge, and the overall tax for the charges.

To read more, pick the April 20 edition of the Navajo Times.


About The Author

David Smith

David Smith is Tódích’íi’nii and born for Dziłt’aadí. He is from Chinle and studied at Northern Arizona University. He studied journalism and English for five years while working part-time for NAU’s NAZ Today and the Lumberjack newspaper. After graduating in 2020, he joined the Navajo Times as a sportswriter for two years before leaving in September 2022. Smith returned in February 2023.

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