Your power bill is likely to go up this summer. Here's why and what to do about it
Adrian HeddenAs the summer heats up in southeast New Mexico, so too does energy use as people try to stay cool.
One of southeast New Mexico’s biggest power providers urged residents to avoid excessive energy use mainly related to air conditioning as the arid region heated up to triple-digit temperatures this spring.
Mid-May brought high temperatures well above 100 degrees, weeks ahead of the typical start of summer heat in June and July.
Xcel Energy published guidance this week for its New Mexico customers likely to increase their air conditioning use as the summer heats up, hoping to avoid grid overloads that could lead to blackouts and dangerous power outages.
Through upgrades made to several substations throughout the region, including multiple in the Carlsbad area, David Hudson, president of Xcel’s New Mexico operations said the grid was ready to support summer demand.
“We’re wrapping up spring maintenance projects at our regional power plants and expect to have all our resources available during peak times of electricity demand,” he said.
“Additionally, we’ve invested heavily in new and upgraded substations and lines across the area to ensure power is flowing freely, especially in areas that have seen a lot of growth.”
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The company also added and upgraded transmission lines in recent years to help power local neighborhoods throughout its network, Hudson said, and prepare them for potential outages.
“We aren’t immune from the effects of high heat or unplanned maintenance issues, but from an operational and planning standpoint, we are in a strong position in the areas of the Panhandle and South Plains we serve,” he said.
“It’s an ongoing effort to keep our system at peak readiness and to ensure we have the capacity to grow.”
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Energy use rises with the heat
Electricity use is known to climb during the summer months throughout the desert region, with the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) reporting household power loads almost doubling from an average use as low as roughly 300 million kilowatt hours in April to up to about 700 million kilowatt hours in July.
About 87 percent of homes in the U.S. have and use air conditioners, the EIA reported, which serve as a main driver of summer power use.
“Total U.S. hourly electricity load is generally highest in the summer months when demand peaks in the afternoon as households and businesses are using air conditioning on hot days,” read the EIA report.
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This can also lead to higher bills for consumers, per the EIA’s May energy outlook, amid higher natural gas prices, federal policy like higher renewable energy standards and increased demand amid recovery from COVID-19.
The EIA expected this summer that electricity sales will rise nationwide by 0.4 percent, compared with last summer.
“These changes in the supply and demand of electricity have led to gradually rising wholesale electricity prices in recent months, as well as contributing to price spikes at certain times in response to temporary constraints in supplying power,” read the report.
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What can you do to save energy this summer?
For Xcel’s customers in the high desert of southeast New Mexico, which appeared ready for an exceptionally hot summer, the company urged consumers to take multiple steps to ensure cool air stays in.
Weather striping usually used to keep cold air out during the winter can also keep it in, Xcel reported, while closing blinds can prevent sunlight from warming the home and increasing the need for air conditioning.
Fans can also circulate air when air conditioning is running to ensure all rooms are cooled, while interior doors should be kept open to allow the air to move throughout the house.
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Cooking or drying clothes should be put off until the evening, the report read, to avoid heating the home during peak temperatures throughout the day.
Shading air conditioning units also boosts their efficiency, read the report.
“Electricity demand is on the rise as we turn on air conditioning to deal with these early heat waves,” said Brad Baldridge, Xcel Energy director for Customer and Community Relations in Texas and New Mexico.
“Combined with the rising cost of producing electricity, our bills are likely going up. But a renewed focus on energy efficiency should help us all better manage those costs.”
Adrian Hedden can be reached at 575-628-5516, achedden@currentargus.com or @AdrianHedden on Twitter.