Understanding Your Energy Usage
As you can tell by the cover, this edition is primarily devoted to the upcoming annual meeting, and we certainly hope you’ll participate. I’m going to go off our main subject, though, because you’re probably getting this magazine about the same time as your electric bill for the period that includes most of August. The demand for power soared throughout the state over the past few months. If your’s did, you’re not alone.
First, look at the amount of kilowatt hours (kWh) used for the current month in comparison to the same period last year. The current billing period is shown in yellow. You can find this information on the bill every month. You’ll likely see that the amount of power used this month was greater than during the same period last year.
If it isn’t, then you are truly to be commended for your conservation efforts, because nearly everyone – including me – used over the amount for the same time last year. That’s because of the unrelenting heat wave under which we have been sweltering this summer. At this point, there’s no end in sight, so the best we can hope for is to simply survive it.
It also matters when you used power. Remember that the Peak rate is in effect for 4 hours each weekday between the hours of 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Power costs the Co-op more during this time, so the amount passed along to you is higher, as well. The other 20 hours per day and all weekends and holidays are calculated at the regular price per kWh. (The Time of Use Rates have been in effect each year from May through September since 2018. The policy became effective 6/21/2018). The Peak rate amounts to $0.0753/kWh over the regular residential rate (Tariff #202.1, Texas).
The last item I want to discuss with you is the chart directly under the kWh Usage History graph. It compares several categories against the same time period last year. You will probably see increased energy consumption, but more importantly, I would like for you to look at the Avg. Daily Cost on your own bill. The sample bill dissected for purposes of this explanation is a real member’s bill. Over the course of one year, the member’s Average. Daily Cost increased by $1.49. When you consider the increases this past year in everything from food to fuel, $1.49 per day more doesn’t seem extreme for the respite our air conditioning and fans provide from the blazing temperatures of summer. Rio Grande continues to be diligent in holding the line on costs and in mitigating the effects of wholesale power passed on to members, to the extent possible.
I will be discussing this topic in more detail during the Q&A Session of the annual meeting, as questions are sure to be submitted. It is also available electronically. Please join us virtually Saturday, October 14, for the emPOWER Summit, RGEC’s 78th Annual Meeting!