Hints for conserving electricity in cold weather
The FRCC State Capacity Emergency Coordinator (SCEC) has issued an information only “Generating Capacity Advisory” for Sunday January 10 through midnight on Monday January 11 due to the forecasted cold temperatures. However, the state operating margin is sufficient and there are no capacity or reliability concerns for the LCEC service territory.
The proactive Generating Capacity Advisory is being issued for Sunday morning (1/10/10) based on temperature projections exceeding temperature triggers in three cities in Area 2 (Miami, 37; Orlando, 29; and Tampa, 28). The Generating Capacity Advisory for Monday morning (1-11-10) is based on temperature projections exceeding temperature triggers in two cities in Area 1 (Gainesville, 20; and Tallahassee, 16). This advisory is primarily for information purposes only.
Lee County Electric Coop will have extra field crews on hand in case they are needed and the LCEC system operation center will be fully staffed for Southwest Florida, said Karen Ryan, a spokeswoman with the utility that serves Lehigh Acres and other parts of Lee County.
Although capacity is not a concern, customers are advised to conserve energy to reduce the impact on their electric bills. Electric heating costs can be three to four times more than cooling costs. LCEC offers the following cold weather energy tips:
Set thermostat no higher than 68 degrees. Each degree higher adds 8 percent to heating costs!
Use ceiling fans on reverse cycle at lowest setting to push warm air down into rooms.
Dress warm in the morning until the sun warms the home naturally.
Keep draperies or shades on south facing windows open during the day to allow the sunlight to enter the home and closed at night to reduce the chill from cold windows
Close the blinds once the sun sets to keep heat inside.
Shower in the evenings and run appliances such as the dishwasher and clothes washer only when necessary.
Clean air filters if using the heater.
If using a generator or space heater, use proper safety precautions.
LCEC serves approximately 193,700 customers in Southwest including Cape Coral, North Ft. Myers, Sanibel, Captiva and Pine Islands, Marco Island, Immokalee, Ave Maria and parts of Lehigh Acres.