SEPTEMBER POWER RATE FALLS FROM AUGUST LEVEL

The power rate from Athens Utilities Board (AUB) for the coming month of September will decrease from the current $0.10139 down to $0.09831 cents per kilowatt hour as TVA’s “summer rates” close out the season.

The falling rate is welcome, as summertime can be a high energy-use time for most AUB customers who run cooling systems in homes and offices.

“September is the last of four months of the summer rate season.  It’s good to see the rate falling in this final seasonal month.  It should be even better for the next couple of months as what are known as ‘transitional’ rates kick in before winter.  We certainly hope that will be the case,” said AUB’s general manager Eric Newberry.

TVA’s summer rate period runs from June through September and represents the highest base rate of the year, at $0.07568.

The fuel charge for September is $0.02263 per kilowatt hour compared to $0.02571 in August.

“Summer can be a season of higher power bills with air conditioners and fans cranking to keep us cool.  Thank goodness we’re getting some relief from seasonal rains, and a dropping power rate,” Newberry said.

To further ease the sticker shock of summertime cooling bills:

• Bump your thermostat to 75 degrees.  Sixty-nine degrees feels great, but it will result in considerably more energy use and a notably higher cooling bill.
• Check all doors and windows to ensure they are completely closed at all times.
• Use weather stripping on doors and windows to preserve cooled air.
• Use curtains, awnings, or other coverings for windows to reduce solar heat gain from the sun.
• Ceiling fans can help circulate cooled air throughout the house.

About 83 cents of every dollar that AUB’s power division collects go to TVA for wholesale power.