Tools to Help You Manage Electricity Costs: High Price Alerts

To help you plan your electricity use for the following day, Power Smart Pricing will send you a high price alert if prices will be 9 cents per kWh or higher for any number of hours the following day. The alert is sent the evening in advance between 5 p.m. and 10 p.m. via the method of your choice – phone, text message or email. The alerts will let you know when it is a good time to pay special attention to your electricity use.

Contact the Power Smart Pricing team at info@powersmartpricing.org or call 1-877-655-6028 if you would like to update your contact information or alert preferences.

To use your electricity wisely during high price alert hours and throughout the winter, consider the following tips:

• Set your thermostat to the coolest comfortable setting, and adjust the temperature setting for hours when you are sleeping or away from home.
• Use space heaters with caution. Portable electric space heaters are generally less efficient than whole-home heating systems. Wide use throughout your home can result in higher electricity bills.
• Do the laundry during hours when the price of electricity is low. Use cold water when possible to cut water heating costs.
• Charge devices such as cell phones and cordless tools at night when electricity prices are low. Unplug the charger from the outlet when not in use.
• Run the dishwasher during low price hours. If your dishwasher has a timer or “delay start” function, you can use it to automatically start the cycle during lower priced hours. Use the “energy saver” or “no heat dry” option to save even more energy.