As winter begins to set in for most states in the U.S there are several things that homeowners can do to reduce their electricty bill each month
The Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities approved NStar’s request, so if you’re one of their 1 million or so customers in the metro Boston and Cape Cod region, you could be in for a shock when you see your next bill.
The change – which will be in effect until July – increases the average residential customer’s bill by $28, according to the utility. So, the monthly electric bill for the average household in Boston and several nearby municipalities will rise from $95 to $123.
The sudden spike is the result of constraints in the existing regional natural gas pipelines.
Over the past 15 years, natural gas-fired generation has gone from serving 15 percent of New Englanders, to roughly half, according to Northeast Utilities, New England’s largest utility system and NStar’s parent company. Even though tens of thousands of homes and business have converted to natural gas heating, the pipeline capacity in the region has been keeping pace to deliver it.
“Natural gas remains an abundant and inexpensive fuel,” NStar spokesperson Rhiannon D’Angelo said. “But regional pipeline limitations and the growing dependency on gas to produce electricity are pushing the prices higher.”
The portion of the customers’ bills that is increasing is due to the cost NStar must pay power generators (the supplier). It does not affect the cost NStar charges for delivering electricity to homes.
Though delivery charges vary slightly per region, supply charges are increasing to 14.972 cents per kilowatt-hour.
NStar is a regulated company, so they adjust their rates on a set schedule. Their basic service rates change twice a year, once in January and again in July. D’Angelo said it’s too soon to tell whether prices will continue to increase next winter.
“Traditionally, prices of electricity are lower during the warmer months, but it’s too soon for us to know what the electricity suppliers will be charging when we next go out for bids,” D’Angelo said. “As we always do, we’ll be issuing a request for proposal as we get closer to that date, and we’ll take the best price we can get. As soon as we begin noticing prices from generators going up, we proactively get in touch with our customers.”
In the winter months most homeowners will find that their electricity bill often increases. This can be very troublesome, especially if the household has a very strict budget. However, there is good news, there are several things that you can do that will help lower your monthly electric bill. If you need help reducing your bill and would like an electrician to help you, calll our electrician la mesa today for a free home inspection and safety audit. They will be more than happy to help show you what you can do to reduce your monthly electricity bill.
First, you want to examine all of the appliances in your home, all modern appliances have energy ratings which display their estimated power consumption. If possible, you should try to use only appliances that are rated with a positive power rating, or consider replacing older appliances that drain large amounts of energy for use. Don’t purchase any additional appliances like a new garage freezer unless you truly believe that you need it. If you do purchase a new appliance, call your local electric wireman in escondido to help you install it!
Next, look around your home at all the doors and windows. Check the seals on the windows and doors and find any that are old, loose, or missing. Bad seals are the most common drains on consumption, because it forces the heater to work much harder to heat your home, driving your electricity bill sky high. If you light a match near a window or door, you can see if the there is air leaking into the home. If you find a bad seal, simply replace it, the cost is low and the difficulty is very easy.
Also, most people don’t realize how much energy they can save if they switch all the lights in their home to energy efficient economy bulbs. additionally, remind family members to turn off the lights when they leave the room, lights that are left on are simply adding to your monthly electric bill. If you have a problem, call your local your electrician if you need help with your next electrical project.
If you live in San Marcos and are thinking about performing a remodel or renovation to your home. Call one of our Electricians in San Marcos today for a free estimate or home safety inspection before you start! We are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Here to help you !
