Get Ready For Higher Electric Bills From Storm

January electric bills arriving and the numbers may surprise you.

“We get those people call in and just want to check with us and make sure that what they’re seeing is correct,” Cookeville Energy Department Director Carl Haney said.

Haney said energy usage goes up typically during times of cold or hot weather. But Haney said the January storm likely impacted the bill more because so many people were stuck at home.

“If you’re inside and you’re not going to work or wherever, then you tend to keep your thermostat at a more comfortable level,” Haney said. “A lot of people, when they go to work or even when they go to bed at night, they turn that thermostat down to help conserve some energy. And so if they’re there, that doesn’t happen. But that’s the number one culprit in it is your HVAC systems trying to keep your house warm.”

Haney said the rates do not change. Cookeville gets its energy from TVA, which sets the rate structure. A resident’s bill then is based on the TVA rate and how much energy they consume.

“It’s all based on kilowatt hours used,” Haney said. “So if you use the x number of kilowatt hours this month, then that’s how that’s calculated. So it just all depends on your usage is the way it works.”

HVAC systems and water heaters are the biggest consumers of electricity in most homes, Haney said. Making sure water heaters are properly insulated keeps them from running too often. Haney said turning your thermostat down when you are not at your home can save money.

“The general thumb is about, for every degree that you can turn that down, it’s about a 3 percent savings on your energy bill,” Haney said.

Haney said using ceiling fans in the counterclockwise position through the winter months can direct heat out of the ceiling and back into the room. Haney said clean air filters also make your HVAC unit run more.

As for paying that January bill, Haney said customers worried about the amount should reach out to customer service as early as possible. Representatives will answer your questions and direct to you any programs available to help you with large bills.