We've had temps over 100°F here in Atlanta for two weeks straight and our office electric bill from Georgia Power is going to be brutal this month. The AC has been running non-stop and I'm dreading when that Schedule PL-1 bill shows up. Just got done auditing a client's summer peak demand charges and now I'm thinking about my own situation. Anyone else seeing their personal utility bills spike with this heat wave?
Anyone else dealing with crazy hot weather affecting their office AC bills?
Oh absolutely! Here in Chandler we hit 118°F last week and my APS bill is going to be insane. I actually moved my home office to the basement just to save on cooling costs. The irony isn't lost on me that I spend all day helping clients reduce their energy costs while my own bill is through the roof.
Same story here in Tucson with TEP. I've actually been working earlier hours to avoid the peak demand periods - starts at 3pm during summer months. My office thermostat is set to 78°F and it still runs constantly. At least I understand exactly what those demand charges mean when they show up on my bill!
TEP and APS customers have my sympathy. The summer rates here in Phoenix are brutal - we're looking at $0.32/kWh during on-peak hours. I've been telling clients for years to shift usage but now I'm living it myself. Doing laundry at 10pm has become my new normal.
Vegas checking in - NV Energy hit us with 115°F yesterday and my home office AC hasn't shut off in 72 hours. The crazy part is I found a $340 error on a casino client's cooling bill last month, saved them thousands, and now I can't save myself from a $400 electric bill.
You southwestern folks have my sympathy. Even up here in Boise with Idaho Power we hit 108°F and that's unusual for us. My office cooling bill doubled but at least our rates are still reasonable compared to what you're paying. Stay cool everyone!
This heat is unreal everywhere. MLGW here in Memphis and we've been over 100°F for ten straight days. I'm actually using this as a teaching moment with clients - showing them my own bill and explaining how demand charges work when you're living through them. Sometimes the best education comes from personal experience.
Randy that's a great approach! I've started doing the same thing. When clients see that even us "experts" struggle with summer bills, it makes the rate structure discussions more relatable. Nothing like a $600 APS bill to make time-of-use rates crystal clear.