Rocky Mountain Power asking customers to conserve electricity

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SALT LAKE CITY -- People woke up to a very cold morning. Many areas around the valley were near zero. When temperatures plummet, the demand for electricity soars.

Most of us use natural gas to heat our homes, but it is our power supply that is having a hard time during this cold snap.

In extreme weather the demand for electricity goes up. "This is affecting everyone," says Rocky Mountain Power spokesman Dave Eskelsen. "There always a peak in December and January, and that's driven in a large part by colder temperatures."

Rocky Mountain Power says electrical use peaks during cold snaps. Frigid snow storms continue to pound across the region, creating strain on power companies.

Eskelsen says, "It's extremely widespread in the entire western United States, it's affecting many utilities."

The company is encouraging its customers to limit how much electricity they use, especially in the between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m.

"Pay attention to what electricity you are using, heating, appliances, lighting even outdoor Christmas lighting," says Eskelsen.

**Tips to conserve energy…**

• Turn off lights, computers, televisions and appliances when you're not using them. • Adjust the use of large appliances such as clothes washers and dryers, dishwashers and ranges to off-peak hours (from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m.), whenever possible. Utilize small kitchen appliances and microwaves for food preparation instead of ovens and range tops. • If you have electric heat, set the thermostat at 68 degrees or lower, health permitting. • Lower thermostat to 60 degrees overnight, health permitting, or when you are away from your home for several hours. • Even if you do not have electric heat, lowering the thermostat reduces power used by your furnace's fan. • Avoid using holiday lights. • Unplug any second refrigerators after moving items to your primary refrigerator. *- Rocky Mountain Power*

We usually hear this same sort of tune in the summer, when people crank up the air conditioning. So, what is the biggest power consumer during the winter? "Most of the heating in this area is by natural gas, but the furnace fan does use electricity. The biggest electricity users are your refrigerator, if you have electrical cooking: range and oven, and clothes washer," said Eskelsen. [CLICK HERE for more energy-saving tips.]

Rocky Mountain Power says it's not any one culprit. There are fewer daylight hours, which means more lights stay on. People also spend more time indoors when it's freezing outside.

Eskelsen says, "This is really driven by weather, so as long as this really cold weather pattern persist over a really wide area, we're going to be faced with challenges."

E-Mail: aforester@ksl.com