CORBIN/MONTICELLO, Ky. (LEX 18) — Energy costs are up almost 30% from last year, according to the consumer price index. So imagine having to pay that high price to heat your home but not getting delivered the goods.
That's the reality for some Kentucky families who reached out to LEX 18 for help. Dave Miller has been trying to reach out to his propane company for several days. He's fearful he'll run out of propane before a delivery is made. He says he called several times.
"Two messages a day, and nobody returned my calls,” says Miller.
Dave Miller suffers from COPD and Emphysema. He says propane and heat are his lifelines. His neighbor Jerry Baker has reached out to united propane gas.
"I said you've been calling all day -- might as well go over there,” says Baker.
There was no answer. Baker says there were other customers outside waiting for someone to respond. He worries about his neighbor.
"Any little thing can just set him off, and that would be the end of it for Mr. Miller,” says Baker.
LEX 18 has made several attempts to reach out to united propane gas, including emails and phone calls and we've not gotten a response.
These customers say their policy is that once a tank gets down to 20% they'll come fill it. Customers in other counties are having similar issues.
"I ordered 100 gallons of gas, I paid them with my credit card and the gentleman I talked to he was an advocate for him and he said it'd be within seven days -- it'd be here."
Larry Ackerd is an AmeriGas customer. He says it took more than 20 days for AmeriGas to get him the propane he requested.
We've reached out to AmeriGas about the issue and they said, "We want to be clear: we have plenty of propane supply...we have not been immune to lingering impacts of covid-19 on our workforce, driver shortages, and weather delays. This is why we continue to ask customers to place orders early and communicate if tanks are running low..."
Ackerd says, "everyday they said it's in route.”
Ackerd did get the 100 gallons he needed but because of the colder weather, he'll need more soon. Customers from Corbin and Monticello agree that something has to change.
"Well, they don’t want them to call you unless you get down to 20%, you know and that gives them time to come. But it don’t seem to happen that way with them, I mean it's sad…,” says Ackerd.
These customers also shared that they've noticed their propane cost rising over the years. They all agree that electricity prices are too high to maintain, and their communities really rely on gas.
