A Message from our General Manager
Together, Let’s Rethink Energy
The rapid rise in the cost of oil has been in the news media for months and we are all keenly aware of it each time we fill up at the gas pumps. The costs of all of our fuel sources, including coal, have risen dramatically and industry analysts say requirements to meet environmental regulations, material costs and global demand will drive fuel prices even higher. GRU fuel costs are passed through to customers. There is no mark up.
Sometimes we take electricity for granted when the light switch works, the refrigerator is cool and the price is a bargain compared with other necessities. However, when our economy takes a downturn and the price of producing energy climbs, we’re all looking at tighter budgets. So together, let’s rethink energy. GRU is investing in new technologies that will make operations more flexible and efficient, and there are a number of low or no cost things that you can do to manage the amount of energy you use and hold down the impact that price increases will have on your wallet.
- Take control of the biggest energy hog in your home— your air conditioner. A programmable thermostat costs about $80 and will pay for itself in just a few months with proper use, bringing years of savings.
- Try setting your thermostat to 78 degrees when you’re home in the summer and program it to jump to 82 degrees if you’re away from the house for three hours or more. You can save 4 percent on your energy bill for every degree you raise your thermostat this summer!
- Air can leak in and out of a home through cracks and around doors and windows, joints between different materials, pipe and wire penetrations, and other gaps and openings. Sealing off air leaks through the use of caulking, weather-stripping or other measures can save a substantial amount on your heating and cooling bills and you can do it yourself.
- Turn off all electrical equipment that you are not using. Televisions and cable set top boxes use energy even when they aren’t turned on, so consider a switch that disconnects the power completely when you aren’t using the TV.
- You can receive a $75 bonus from GRU for recycling that extra refrigerator in the garage— it is expensive to run it in a non-airconditioned space. And when you do buy new electric appliances or equipment, check the energy requirements and look for the Energy Star symbol— your assurance that the equipment is energy efficient.
There are also things you can do to help GRU reduce fuel costs, savings that we can then pass on to you by holding down fuel adjustment increases. By washing clothes after 10 PM at night and before 10 AM in the morning, for example, you help us reduce fuel costs, since energy costs less to produce during those hours. Or pay your bill using automated bank draft or here on our web site rather than by mail or in person. It is much less expensive for us to process payments electronically and those savings will be passed on to you.
GRU is a not for profit utility, which means that we are here to serve the community, not to pass profits on to share holders. If everyone conserves a little and looks for other ways to reduce costs, we can all benefit by holding down price increases. We have energy savings tips and rebates to help you manage energy, improve efficiency and save money. Together, let’s rethink energy.
