Dear Residents and Business Owners of St. Robert,
We want to make you aware that utility bills issued at the end of February, reflecting January usage, may be higher than average due to Winter Storm Fern, which impacted our region from January 23 through January 26.
During that period of sustained extreme cold, wholesale electric and natural gas market prices increased substantially across the region. The City of St. Robert participates in a regional wholesale energy market and must pay the market rate during extreme weather events. This was not a permanent rate increase and does not reflect a change in the City’s base utility rates.
The wholesale price spike lasted only during the storm and has since returned to normal levels. The increased cost will appear only on January usage, reflected in the bills issued at the end of February. Available reserve funds were utilized at the wholesale level to help offset a portion of the storm-related increase; however, customers should still expect higher-than-average January bills due to the severity of the market spike.
In simple terms, if your home or business used more electricity/natural gas during those cold days, your bill will reflect that usage at the higher wholesale cost that was in place during the storm. If you use less, the impact will be lower. The amount each customer sees will depend on individual usage during that time period.
In light of this storm and future extreme weather events, we strongly encourage residents and business owners to conserve energy whenever possible. Conservation during peak conditions helps reduce overall system strain and limits exposure to elevated wholesale market costs.
We encourage you to plan accordingly as bills are distributed. If you anticipate difficulty paying your bill, please get in touch with our Utility Billing Office promptly after receiving it so we can discuss your situation.
Utility Billing Office
Phone: 573-451-3343
Email: utilities@saintrobert.com
You may also visit City Hall in person during regular business hours, 7 am - 4 pm.
Like every household and business in our community, my family will face higher wholesale costs based on our own usage during that time. We understand that higher utility costs can be frustrating, and we remain committed to open communication and responsible stewardship of the resources entrusted to us. We will continue monitoring energy markets and evaluating long-term strategies to help protect our community from future extreme volatility.
Thank you for your understanding and for being part of our community. Sincerely,
James Breckinridge
Mayor City of St. Robert