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 In the past several months, many JEA customers have seen a noticeable increase in their electric utility bill and a corresponding increase in the number of kilowatt hours being used.
We understand that unexpected high bills cause our customers a great deal of concern. If you’ve had a high bill and wish to avoid future unanticipated high bills, please consider the following:
Weather affects electricity usage
There exists a direct correlation between weather and energy consumption. Using the national weather service as the source, during the month of January, Jacksonville experienced 22 days below 50 degrees. Fifteen of those days were below 40 degrees.
The preceding month, our average temperature was 70 degrees. Last year at this time, we experienced a mild fall and winter through December. That means your bill this month could be significantly higher than last month and higher than last year at this time because the average temperatures were much warmer.
So, how does weather affect your electricity usage? If your thermostat is set on 72 degrees when the low was 68 degrees, the heater only has to raise the air temperature 4 degrees. But if it is set at 72 degrees and it is 32 degrees outside, the heater has to raise the air temperature 40 degrees. So, even if the thermostat setting doesn’t change, there is the potential for a radically higher usage of electricity. JEA recommends 68 degrees during winter months.
Meter Reading
Sometimes, customers believe their meter reading is not accurate. JEA reads the electric and the majority of water meters through an advanced metering system. The accuracy for JEA’s meter reading is more than 99.9% on a monthly basis, which is more accurate than the average utility. Meter errors account for only .044 % of high bills. With this technology, JEA can conduct daily electric reads to validate consumption.
Rates
Are higher rates to blame for high bills? While rates did increase in 2008, these increases would not account for an unexpectedly high utility bill. The JEA variable fuel rate was adjusted $15.00 per 1000 kWh to $51.27 effective July 1, 2008, and is currently still in effect. The base rate increased $5.18 per 1000kWh on October 1, 2008.
Energy Efficiency
The efficiency of a home has a direct impact on electric bills. Mobile homes, older houses, especially those with little or no insulation and that are off-grade will cause the HVAC system to have to work harder and longer to keep the house comfortable, causing higher utility bills.
What can you do to find out if your home is as energy-efficient as possible? Take our online energy audit by clicking here. Or watch our energy audit video by clicking here.
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