Photo: Turn it down!
With temperatures today forecasted to reach the 90s again, Belmont Light has a request to its 11,000 customers: Lighten up on the power, please.
With today, Thursday, July 30, expected to be another high electricity use day, the town’s electrical utility is urging users to save energy and money by reducing electricity consumption during the hottest (or peak) part of the day, between 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.
“Every bit of electricity reduced during peak times will help Belmont mitigate rising electricity costs,” read a press release dated Wednesday, July 29, from Sagewell, Inc., the Woburn-based firm that is administrator of Belmont Light Energy Efficiency Programs.
“Nearly one-third of your electric bill is for the cost of procuring sufficient capacity for peak days and these costs are continuing to increase for all utilities across New England.”
And Belmont Light is providing tips to reduce peak electricity consumption:
- Adjust the air conditioning between 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. and turn off the air conditioning in rooms that are not used. Adjusting the thermostat even by two-to-three degrees helps.
- Use a microwave oven or an outdoor grill instead of a stove or a regular oven.
- Shift laundry and dishwasher use to after 7 p.m.
- Run pool pumps or use hot tubs before 2 p.m. or after 7 p.m. Shift other electricity use at those times.
If customers have any questions or would like advice on how to decrease peak energy consumption, contact Sagewell at 617-963-8141 or at support@sagewell.com
One thing that was left off the list of ways to reduce peak electricity consumption between 2-7 pm is to install solar panels on your roof. Between those hours, solar panels are generating plenty of electricity and helping to reduce the amount of electricity Belmont Light must purchase at peak rates.
If only we had more solar adoption in Belmont to provide extra power during times of peak usage…