Dallas resident DeAndre Upshaw said it was "very shocking" when he opened his latest electricity bill.
"While I'm trying to get gas and groceries and make sure that my pipes don't explode, the last thing I'm thinking about is a $7,000 bill from my utility company," Upshaw told CNN's Fredricka Whitfield via Skype Saturday.
As Texas struggles to recover from a deep freeze that has killed dozens, some customers in Texas like Upshaw are facing unprecedented price hikes in their energy bills as a result of the recent snow storm. Texas officials say they are investigating.
Texas' utility regulator, Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT), said Saturday that it is investigating "the factors that combined with the devastating winter weather to disrupt the flow of power to millions of Texas homes.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott is convening an emergency meeting to look into the situation, he said in a statement.
"It is unacceptable for Texans who suffered through days in the freezing cold without electricity or heat to now be hit with skyrocketing energy costs," Abbott said. "To protect families, I am actively working with the Lieutenant Governor, the Speaker of the House and members of the Legislature to develop solutions to ensure that Texans are not on the hook for unreasonable spikes in their energy bills."
One energy company called Griddy suggested that their customers look for another provider if the prices were too high.
Upshaw told CNN he attempted to switch from Griddy to another electric provider, but the new company kept pushing back his start date.
For the time being, Upshaw, the Dallas resident, has switched his credit card on file with Griddy to one that has been maxed out to ensure he can't be charged for more. Yet even as he has been conserving power, his bill continued to rise, he said.
Neighbors and friends who have accounts with Griddy told Upshaw that the charges "knocked out their entire checking account, went into their savings account, they can't pay their rent," he said.
