Utility company urges High Plains residents to prepare for arctic front

Kansas forecasts are calling for arctic temperatures beginning this weekend. Black Hills Energy is preparing for the cold weather and is urging its customers to do the same.
“We’ve built our system for peak conditions like what we’ll experience this week. We are continuously monitoring our infrastructure and are in regular communication to keep our system running smoothly,” said Black Hills Energy General Manager Ward Slocum. “Colder weather brings higher energy usage, which is why we are also encouraging conservation to help save energy and money.”

When temperatures outside are colder, people use more energy to keep homes and businesses warmer—even if the thermostat is set to the same temperature. Black Hills Energy is offering conservation tips to reduce usage and help offset the key factors of your bill:
- Lower your temperature setting a few degrees to save energy and close curtains to keep warm air inside.
- Turn down your hot water heater to 120 degrees and ensure the water heater is insulated properly. Water heaters are the second largest energy user in a house, accounting for about 18% of an energy bill.
- Adjust your humidity. A well-humidified house at 68 degrees Fahrenheit is as comfortable as a dry house at 75 degrees.
- Make sure your fireplace damper closes tightly when you’re not using it. Closing the damper could save 8% of your home’s heat.
- Use kitchen, bath and other ventilating fans only as needed. In just one hour, these fans can blow away a house full of warm air.
- If you plan on cooking multiple dishes, bake as many as you can at the same time. Take advantage of the energy that goes into heating up the oven fewer times to use less energy.
- Skip the drying cycle on your dishwasher. Instead, prop the door open once dishes are washed and allow them to air dry.
- You could save as much as 30% of your energy costs by better insulating your attic or top floor. You can save about 8% of your energy costs by insulating the floor over any unheated areas, such as crawl spaces, basements and garages.
Many people do not realize the price of energy is a large component of a customer’s bill. Black Hills Energy is also offering the following information to help customers understand their energy usage:
- Usage is the largest portion of our energy bills and weather is the biggest factor in increased usage.
- Black Hills Energy’s bill makes it easy to compare this month’s usage to the same time last year and understand why those might be different because of energy costs or weather.
Black Hills Energy knows conservation and energy efficiency measures alone may not be enough to help some customers, so they encourage customers struggling with monthly bills to review the following options:
- Payment arrangements: Extended payment terms to help customers get back on track.
- Budget Billing: A free payment plan that averages the amount owed each month.
- Energy Assistance: Energy assistance programs supported by Black Hills Energy, like Black Hills Cares, can be accessed by visiting https://blackhillsenergy.com/billing-and-payments/energy-assistance-programs or by contacting 211 (211.org).