Newfoundland Power says there are several factors that are contributing to higher electricity bills this time of year.

Social media has been flooded with posts in recent weeks from frustrated customers who have seen a spike in their monthly bills without an increase in usage.

Director of Stakeholder Relations and Communications Glenda Power acknowledges that they have seen the posts and have received some calls directly from people concerned about their bills.

Power says weather is the most common factor when talking about electricity bills, noting that it can create higher usage without people realizing it.

For example, she says people can have their thermostat set to 20 degrees all year long, but in the colder months, the home has to work harder to maintain that temperature, thus creating increased usage.

Power says there was also a 7 per cent increase to Newfoundland Power rates last August.

She says that the increase might not have been as noticeable during the warmer months, but it was more pronounced during the colder winter.