Back to Blog

BRACE YOURSELVES: COLD NOVEMBER TEMPERATURES CONTRIBUTE TO HIGHER ENERGY BILLS

For five days in November 2010, San Juan County experienced a cold snap with an average daily temperature of only 25 degrees.  OPALCO members are going to notice the difference on their power bills that go out at the end of the month. “When temperatures drop below 50 degrees,” explained OPALCO System Engineer Joel Mietzner, “we see electrical usage go up as members use more energy to maintain a comfortable indoor temperature.”

Power purchases for the five day period added up to 6,826,980 kWh as compared to 3,274,460 kWh for the same five-day period in 2009 when the average temperature was 45 degrees. The rest of November was comparable to last year in terms of temperature and power purchases. “Load growth is steady at less than one percent,” said Mietzner, “it’s the temperature that contributed to higher bills this billing cycle.”

A good first step in protecting your household from higher energy bills is to have a Home Snapshot Energy Assessment through OPALCO. A certified contractor will inspect your home from top to bottom and leave you with a detailed report on areas where you could see savings—in kWh and dollars—with energy efficiency improvements. Once you discover how your home could benefit from some energy efficiency upgrades, OPALCO can also help with the cost of making improvements. “Weatherization rebates are available for insulation, window replacement and duct sealing,” said Energy Services Assistant Manager Anne Bertino. “And, federal rebates are continuing into 2011. Now is a good time to take advantage of all of the incentives and start seeing the savings on your energy bill.”

To learn more about OPALCO energy efficiency rebates and Home Snapshot Energy Assessments, go to our Energy Savings site, or call 376-3586 to schedule an energy assessment.

OPALCO is a member-owned cooperative electrical utility serving more than 11,000 members on 20 islands in San Juan County. OPALCO provides electricity that is 95% greenhouse-gas free and is predominately generated by hydro-electric plants. OPALCO was founded in 1937 to bring electricity to rural islanders.

You may also like...

virtual meeting stock

Meet the OPALCO Board Candidates March 9th. Ballots hit the mail March 10th.

As a member-owned cooperative, OPALCO members elect the Board of Directors who are responsible for setting policies and rates, essentially guiding the course for our electric utility. The 2023 nominations … Read more
oddfellows

Ask Lindsay: Tips for Businesses in San Juan County

What programs are available to OPALCO businesses? In 2023, OPALCO has a grant-funded program for businesses called Energize San Juans. This grant helps businesses and farms in the islands upgrade … Read more
vote

EGC Announces OPALCO Board Candidates – Nominations by Petition Due February 17th

The volunteer member Elections & Governance Committee (EGC) has completed their nominations process and selected a slate of candidates for the 2023 OPALCO Board of Directors election. There are two … Read more