Managing your Energy During Extreme Cold
The lower the outside temperature, the more electricity we use to stay warm and energize our homes and businesses.
You can help to manage the peak energy demand that will accompany extreme cold by reducing your electricity consumption where you can. Reducing consumption during the peak can help alleviate the load on our system.
Here are some tips for conserving energy:
- Select the lowest comfortable thermostat setting.
- Heat pumps become less efficient during extreme cold temperatures – be prepared to use other sources of heating available in your home.
- Avoid using large appliances such as dishwashers, ovens and dryers.
- Shift non-essential activities, like laundry, to when power demand is lower.
- Turn off all unnecessary lights and unplug any electronics or appliances not in use.
- If you have an electric water heater, limit the use of hot water as much as possible.
If your power goes off, turn off appliances and other electrical devices that may have been on when the power went out, so there’s not an immediate surge on the system when power is restored. In the event of a power outage, have an emergency plan for your household.
If you experience a power outage, report your outage online and visit our Outage Map for the latest information.
Learn more energy savings tips on our website for your home or business.
Stay safe, and if you have questions or need to reach us, please call 1-800-670-1012.
