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 A very cold winter so far
Feb 1, 2010
As I prepare this report, the calendar says January 11. According to the WYFF-TV4 meteorologist, this morning’s low temperature at the Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport was a frosty 18 degrees.
It’s not unusual for the Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative service area to experience winter cold spells. What is out of the ordinary is how long this current bitterly cold period has lasted. The frigid weather set in on New Year’s Day and, after 11 days, has not yet relinquished its grip.
Low temps in the teens>/b>
For the duration of this cold snap, daytime highs have generally been in the 30’s. More often than not, daily low temperatures have registered in the teens. The average temperature for the month so far has been well below normal—and much, much colder than the average reading recorded a year ago in January. On top of this, December’s average daily temperature was more than seven percent lower than what would be typical for that entire month.
In the November/December edition of South Carolina Living, I emphasized in this report that energy use is largely weather-driven. It’s during the cold months of winter and the hot summer months that members tend to experience big jumps in their electricity use.
A foregone conclusion
When winters are as cold as this one has been to this point, it’s a foregone conclusion that power bills are going to climb noticeably. Heating systems are going to work harder and longer to maintain indoor temperatures. Colder water flowing into water-heater tanks will cause those units to use more electricity while carrying out their function. Family members will often find themselves spending more time indoors to avoid the unpleasant weather, which creates additional opportunities for energy consumption.
The bottom line is that Blue Ridge members are going to see higher electric bills this winter. I can assure you that not one of us at the cooperative is pleased about sending out these larger bills. That’s especially true during a time of economic recession.
Blue Ridge does have a number of programs designed to help members deal with high energy usage. These include Levelized Billing, low-interest heat-pump loans, our discounted Total Electric/Conservation Rate, and an online energy audit. One or more of these and other programs might be of interest to you. If we can be of assistance, please contact the cooperative’s customer service department.
Sincerely,
Charles E. Dalton
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