SD companies offer tips on how to save energy and avoid power outages

February 15, 2021

RAPID CITY, SD - As the cold weather continues, the West River Electric Association and Black Hills Energy are urging customers to limit their energy use.

Due to the unusually high energy consumption of freezing, they ask customers to do laundry, shower, cook and wash dishes during peak times. This means limiting the use of hot water. The rush hour is in the morning and in the evening from 5 to 9 a.m. and from 5 to 9 p.m. Companies are pushing to continue the conservation until temperatures start to rise.

Black Hills Energy says power outages are not a problem for its customers. West River Electric says they are "doing everything in their power to prevent this escalation to this level" in order to limit energy consumption. The Lacreek Electric Association says their customers can experience power outages.

"We have been monitoring the situation very closely and working with our generation team to ensure that our production resources are available online to customers. We haven't had any discounts to customers here in South Dakota, and I don't expect all of this now, "said Marc Eyre, vice president of operations at Black Hills Energy.

Black Hills Energy says thermostats should be set to 68 degrees and turned off when you are away from home or asleep.

They also suggest the following:

• Don't do the housework. Washing clothes or dishes can use energy to heat the water and the dryer. If you can, just wash full loads in cold water, air dry your clothes, or better wait until the extreme cold is over to complete these activities.
• Check your oven filter; Make sure it is installed neatly and properly in the right direction.
• Make sure that the stove vent, gas fireplace vent, and traditional / tankless water heater vents are free of obstruction or debris.
• Adjust your humidity. A well-humidified home at 68 degrees is as comfortable as a dry home at 75 degrees.
• Use the kitchen, bathroom and other fans only when necessary. In just one hour, these fans can ventilate a house filled with warm air.
• Reduce the consumption of hot water. Use low flow faucets and showers, and take short showers instead of tubs. Set the temperature of your water heater to 120 degrees or set it to the "hot" setting.

High national consumption puts energy resources under pressure. Eyre says they are prioritizing more efficient energy resources to meet consumption needs. However, this can lead to increased demand and higher costs for some resources.

When cold weather and domestic use are driving prices up for customers, there are several loan assistance programs available:

• The easiest way for families to access emergency funds is to call 211 and a representative will put them through with a social worker in their area.
• Customers in the Black Hills Energy service area are eligible for the Black Hills Cares Funds, a utility program made possible through donations from other customers. The Black Hills Energy Foundation compares these donations 100%.
• The application deadline for the National Low Income Energy Assistance Program (LIEAP) is currently open at : Low Income Energy Assistance (nd.gov) .
• Budget Settlement is a free and stable payment option from Black Hills Energy that makes bills more predictable by averaging the monthly amount to avoid billing spikes due to seasonal anomalies.

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