California residents hit with $1,000 electricity bills after company changed its terms - but here's how they can fight back

California residents are being hit with sky-high electricity bills thanks to a little-known change in their utility company's pricing system.

Southern California Edison (SCE), which provides power to 15 million people, implemented 'Time of Use' pricing between October 2020 and December 2021 and automatically enrolled customers unless they opted out, company spokesperson Gabriela Ornelas told DailyMail.com.

TOU pricing means millions of people across central, coastal and Southern California are forced to pay different electricity rates depending on the time of day it's being used. 

SCE says electricity is cheaper to produce earlier in the day, overnight and on the weekends. TOU pricing is supposed to incentivize 'customers to shift electricity use away from more expensive peak hours,' the power utility told KTLA.

Sarah Clifford sent her most recent bill to KTLA, revealing she paid $1,128 in a single month. Apparently, this is a 'discounted rate.'

Southern California Edison is the main power provider for much of the Golden State, and customers are outraged at the bills they're receiving for electricity this summer. Some are being forced to pay over hundreds or even over $1,000 per month

Linda Lynch, who lives in Antelope Valley, a desert community north of Los Angeles, said her bill jumped to $900 this month, which she claimed was hundreds more than usual.

Lynch wrote that she could barely afford groceries yet is being expected to pay this exorbitant amount.

A possible reason behind the massive bill was that Antelope Valley had excessive heat warnings a number of days this month. Demand for electricity was even more acute than usual given the need for air conditioning to cool people's homes.

Melissa Avalos wrote into KTLA as well, sharing her fear that she would not be able to pay her bills if the increases keep coming.

'There has been a rise in our electricity bills that is beyond this earth. We went from paying $86 dollars a month to $400 dollars a month and don’t even run our air at night. Something needs to be done as we are seniors and barely making enough to cover this increase,' Avalos wrote.

It's not known whether all of these customers are victims of TOU pricing, but if Californians want to have more control over what they pay, it might be time to switch to what's called a 'tiered rate plan.'

SCE customers may be able to save on their power bill by switching to a tiered rate plan, which charges you a flat rate for the electricity you use within two tiers

Under this plan, customers are given a base allotment of electricity and are charged a flat rate of $0.33 per kilowatt hour. If they exceed that, they're then charged $0.44 per kilowatt hour for all the remaining power the use that month.

If a customer is enrolled in TOU pricing, they could pay as much as 75 cents per kilowatt hour between the hours of 5pm and 8pm on a weekday.

If they enroll in the tiered rate plan, they are actually incentivized to use less electricity to pay less on their bill.

But an SCE spokesperson told KTLA that the greatest impact on monthly bills is 'overall energy use, regardless of the rate plan.'

SCE suggested a number of lifestyle changes to avoid the summer price hikes, including using your microwave instead of your oven, playing board games instead of watching TV and turning your air conditioner up by two degrees.

Con Edison, an entirely separate company that provides power to New York City and Westchester County, is facing its own backlash for raising rates during the summer.

Con Edison provides gas and electric services for much of New York City and nearby Westchester County

Katrice Bryson posted on X that she was recently charged $2,700 for her gas and electric bill, and she tagged the city's Human Resources Administration and Con Edison for help.

Con Edison replied to her post asking for Bryson's account number so a representative could assist her.

Bryson replied: 'I have been on the phone for two hours for assistance and no one has not picked up the phone and I am currently on hold to get assistance.'

It's not clear if her situation was resolved.  DailyMail.com approached Bryson for comment.

Another person who said they live in a one-bedroom apartment wrote that his electric bill tripled to nearly $500.

'Add it to the list of reasons I'm moving out of this city,' he wrote. 'Thanks Biden.'

One other user said Con Edison is 'out of control,' adding there's no recourse.

'We are only running one AC at a time only at night, our electric is over $400!! Go away for a week and use nothing, the usage is metered as 5-10 percent lower than usual. I have asked for someone to be sent for FOUR years,' she wrote.

Pictured: Katrice Bryson's exchange with Con Edison over her giant bill and struggles getting in contact with a customer service representative 

There is evidence that Con Edison users are paying a premium for natural gas as well.

An investigation by Congressman Ritchie Torres, who represents New York's 15th district which covers much of the south Bronx, found that Con Edison is charging customers far more for gas than people who are served by National Grid.

Con Edison serves three out of the five boroughs of New York City, including Manhattan, the Bronx and certain residents in Queens. Brooklyn and Staten Island are serviced by National Grid.

Torres' office found that while a Brooklyn property pays just $0.54 per therm (a unit of gas), residents of the Bronx are paying $1.29 per therm to Con Edison.

Torres is now calling on the city's Public Service Commission to investigate Con Edison.

Under pressure, Con Edison released the following statement to media outlets, in part blaming the shift to 'clean energy' for the price hikes.

'Energy delivery rates vary from utility to utility for many reasons, including the level of service, customers’ needs, the characteristics of the area and when new rates take effect. As we move from fossil fuels to clean energy, we are investing about $1 billion a year to keep our gas system safe,' Jamie McShane, a company spokesperson wrote. 

'We replace 80 miles of cast-iron and steel main annually, conduct monthly leak patrols and are installing a first-of-its kind gas detector in customers’ homes and businesses, an enormous step forward for safety. We encourage reforms that reduce natural gas consumption and provide customers with clean energy alternatives.'

DailyMail.com reached out to Con Edison for comment.