From now on residents in Apex will see a higher electric bill.

Last month, the Town Council voted to raise electric rate by 14 percent. Town Manager Bruce Radford said on average residents use about 1,000 kilowatts of electricity a month and pay about $105. The increase will add about $13 to their month bill, but Radford said this change is a necessity because of the rising cost of fuel.

Heather O'Sullivan Canney and Laura Kelly are home and business owners in Apex. They are concerned about what they call an outrageous increase.

"I'm sure that the town feels it's a necessity to do it but it is poor timing for people who are trying to make ends meet," O'Sullivan Canney said.

Kelly said there has to be another way.

"Couldn't they ease it in or done it over time or have some sort of plan that could have made sense instead of everything happening at one time because right now it's hard to survive," Kelly said.

Apex residents already pay more than the average electric bill according to a Progress Energy representative. Overall, a Progress Energy customer pays about $97 a month. But that may also be increasing to about $112 by the end of the year.