When Raelynn McMurchy opened her electricity bill this month, the amount was more than twice her family's monthly rent. The bill totalled $1,373, including a $598 security deposit that her power company required after she fell behind on earlier payments. Faced with the choice of keeping the electricity on or paying for other basic needs, the Tulsa resident started an online petition calling for changes to the state's rising energy costs. McMurchy is among a growing number of customers struggling to pay their electricity bills as long periods of extreme summer heat push power use and monthly charges higher across the region. As reported by Scott Horsley for NPR and Ideastream Public Media, electricity prices have risen faster than general inflation, leaving many households facing growing debt and the risk of having their power disconnected.
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