Local Power Rates Remain Steady Into February

ATHENS, Tenn. – Local electric power rates for February will edge up compared to January, but very little.

The local residential power rate for February for Athens Utilities customers will be $0.08783 compared to January’s rate of $0.08749.

Both months are considered “winter” rate schedule months by TVA and, therefore, have the same base rate of $0.06842 per kilowatt.

“So the difference month over month is a slightly higher monthly fuel charge from TVA for February, about three one-hundredths of a cent higher versus last month,” said AUB’s Wayne Scarbrough.

Scarbrough said that AUB meter readers report that for the past couple of weeks energy use is, as expected, notably higher in response to the cold weather.

“Our energy rates in power and in natural gas are holding steady, but the temperature sure hasn’t been,” he said.  “The plummeting temperatures have pushed energy use into seasonably higher territory.  Those heating units are humming, trying to keep up with the cold.”

Customer service representatives at AUB are working daily with customers who also are reacting seasonably to higher heating bills.

“We do have customers concerned that they’ve never had a bill so high or that there is just no way it could be correct, that’s human nature.  We feel that when we open our bill at home, too.

“But when we look back into their account with them to a time with similar temperatures and in turn they see similar energy use patterns, they understand that it’s not AUB spinning their meters, it’s their heating system,” he said.  “These extreme colds just really kick up energy use.”

While higher energy use in extreme cold is a given, whether you use electricity, gas, or even if you burn wood, there are some relatively easy and inexpensive things you can do help moderate winter bills.

Decide how warm you must keep your home.  It makes a difference if you set your thermostat on 68 degrees rather than 72 degrees.

To keep warm air inside and cold air out, use inexpensive weather stripping on doors and windows to eliminate even small drafts.  Keep doors and windows closed at all times possible. 

Other tips include:

• Ensure adequate insulation in your attic.
• Put an insulating blanket on your water heater.
• Dress for the season, even while inside.
• Take advantage of the sun’s heat by opening curtains on the sunny side of the house.  Otherwise, close curtains.
• Clean system filters every month, using your utility bill as a reminder.

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