If losing power, air-conditioning and food for days isn't enough, how about an increase in your electric bill?
Appalachian Power representatives say that could be the only answer after more than half a million of the company's customers lost power a week and a half ago.
The impact to your bill could be a few pennies or several dollars according to Jeri Matheney from Appalachian Power.
It's too early to know for sure, but she says an increase is the only way to keep the company afloat after losing a big majority of its income during the storm.
"Let me get this straight. APCO wants to raise their rates because of an act of nature or an act of God, so they want to recoup their loses on the public. I think that sucks," said James Watts, a Roanoke resident.
Just the thought of an increase boils Appalachian Power's customers.
"It's not our fault that our powers went out. A lot of people have trouble as it is paying their bills. With the economy like it is I don't think they should go up because they done went up before," said Cathy Robertson, a Fincastle resident who briefly lost power when the storm hit.
According to Jerri Matheney, a rate increase could be the only choice.
It could be next year before the increase takes effect.
Every time a major storm hits, Matheney says the company keeps a list of costs including thousands of contractors from around the country, new poles and power lines, and tree trimming.
"You do have to think that customers is where money comes from for our company. That's where money comes from, it doesn't, there is no other source of income. So that's the only possible way to recover from something like that is through customers," said Jeri Matheney, a representative from Appalachian Power.
The company got a crash course during its last record breaking power outage in December 2009.
221,000 customers were without power.
Appalachian was forced to ask for an increase to generate more revenue.
A decrease was approved the next year.
"I understand economics, I understand business, I have a degree in business, but somewhere down the line there has to be compassion for the people you serve," Teresa Magda, an Appalachian Power customer.
In the meantime, a representative from the Virginia Department of Emergency Management says it's unlikely the state will get help from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, because the statewide damage doesn't meet its requirements.
Local governments however could reimbursed for opening cooling centers, buying generators or removing trees.
