WASHINGTON — Pepco and Baltimore Gas and Electric are giving customers a chance to save on their electric bills by reducing their energy use Tuesday. This comes in anticipation of increased demand for electricity in the Mid-Atlantic region.
Temperatures will reach the mid 90s Tuesday, but it will feel like 100 through the afternoon, said Storm Team4 meteorologist Sheena Parveen.
BGE customers with smart meters installed in their homes can earn bill credits by reducing energy usage from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. Customers enrolled in the PeakRewards Air Conditioning program will have their air conditioners automatically cycled up to 50 percent.
Pepco customers in Maryland can save money by reducing their energy between 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. through the Peak Energy Savings Credit Program. Participants get a bill credit of $1.25 per a kilowatt hour of reduced energy use, below the customer’s average use. Pepco customers can expect to see the credit on their next bill.
Pepco says no enrollment is needed — customers can participate by simply reducing the amount of energy used.
Pepco customers participating in the Energy Wise Rewards will have their air conditioners cycled during those hours as well. Pepco will signal for the thermostats to cycle the air conditioner compressors on and off based on the customer’s chosen cycling level, according to the energy company’s Monday news release.
Participants in the Energy Wise Rewards program may not notice much of a change in temperature in their homes, but it may take up to a half-hour after 5 p.m. for the air conditioners to resume their normal operations, said Pepco.
How do you stay cool while reducing your air conditioner and overall energy use?
“Raise the thermostat several degrees, grill outside, draw your blinds closed,” said BGE Spokesman Justin Mulcahy.
Customers could also avoid using heat-producing appliances like dishwashers and clothes dryers. Turning ceiling fans on with blades rotating counterclockwise will also help conserve energy.
This is BGE’s second Energy Savings Day of the year. On average, Malcahy says customers could see a savings of about $7.10.
