Stay-at-home directives and the shuttering of nonessential businesses have created an unprecedented shift in energy use, with home energy consumption rising by almost 20% in March. In mid-April, the Edison Electric Institute noted that US electricity demand hit a 16-year low, in large part due to a steep decline in industrial and business activity. These same directives and closings have also put many people out of work or on reduced hours, causing them to struggle to pay their higher home energy bills.
To help during the crisis, utilities across the US are ensuring that customers receive the energy they need, that utility employees are safe, and that local communities get the information and support they need.
For example, at New York State’s independent grid operator, NYISO, more than three dozen workers voluntarily sequestered themselves in control centers, working 12-hour shifts and sleeping in trailers on site—a part of the utility’s business continuity plan that it has never before had to invoke. Florida Power & Light, meanwhile, proposed a 25% bill reduction in May for all of its customers. And California’s PG&E delivered nearly one million safety masks to the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services in that state. Hundreds of utilities worldwide are suspending all disconnects during the crisis. “Utilities have a ‘We’re in this together’ mindset,” says Paul McDonald, senior director of strategy for Oracle Utilities. “They’re built for operating through emergencies.”
Utilities are also getting more sophisticated in how they deliver information and support to customers by offering very specific recommendations. “Energy efficiency programs are rooted in behavioral science and data that are getting better and better all the time,” says McDonald. Instead of general tips, utilities can pinpoint when a customer is using a lot of energy to do things like charging their electric vehicle or running their air conditioner, then provide tips on how to save money by slightly altering their behavior—for example, by charging their vehicle late at night, or using house-cooling tips that don’t involve the air conditioner. “Personal insights can motivate customers to act in ways that lead to savings, while also protecting the health of the energy grid,” says McDonald.
“If it’s cool outside and the sun is shining, open your blinds to let the sun warm your home. Set your fridge to 38 degrees. Run full loads of dishes and clothes instead of partial loads.”
With so much uncertainty in the world, consumers are looking for clarity about their energy supply and what will happen going forward. There are four things electric utilities want you to know, according to McDonald, who has been regularly meeting with utility executives and operators during the past two months.
Know You’ll Have the Power You Need
Thousands of utilities workers have been putting their own health at risk to ensure that people continue to receive energy. “The utility leaders I’m talking to want to tell their customers ‘Let us take this off your plate—you have enough to worry about,’” says McDonald. The utilities industry is one of the few where, as a matter of course, employees are cross-trained for emergency field service work—so someone working in customer service or energy efficiency analysis will jump in to keep critical services going in a crisis. “It’s common for people to tag-in for storm duty,” McDonald says. “When something needs to get fixed, they’ll be part of the operation that the utilities run to get it fixed.”
Save Energy—and Money—Right Now
Your utility’s website, newsletters, and even your bills are full of tips to help save energy. However, utilities are sensitive to the current situation and are avoiding some recommendations that don’t make sense given current health and safety advisories. For example, CDC guidelines say it’s safer to wash your laundry in hot water, so utilities aren’t currently recommending cold-water washing to save energy. They’re also postponing energy-saving recommendations that involve an at-home visit, say, for a home energy audit or retrofit. There still are many other things people can do to save energy or shift it to lower-cost times of the day. “If it’s cool outside and the sun is shining, open your blinds to let the sun warm your home. Set your fridge to 38 degrees. Run full loads of dishes and clothes instead of partial loads. People should check to see if their utility is offering personalized tips based on their own energy-use patterns and appliances,” says McDonald.
Get Help
Utilities are keenly aware that the stay-at-home orders are putting a strain on customers’ budgets as energy use rises. Utilities are reaching out to customers with a high energy burden and a lower ability to pay to show them all the ways they can reduce their bills and receive payment assistance. “Making sure those customers get energy saving tips and options for payment plans and bill assistance will become increasingly important. Utilities are redoubling their efforts to ensure customers know these programs exist, and we’ve seen engagement rates on those messages significantly increase,” says McDonald.
Take an Assessment
Now may not be the right time for an in-home energy assessment, but many utilities offer online assessments and kits that customers can use to reduce energy use down the road. Taking a few minutes to do an online assessment now means that you’ll be ready to go when it’s safe to have a technician working in your house. “What utilities are doing right now is building up as much awareness and demand for those home upgrades as they possibly can, so that once the restrictions are lifted, there will be thousands of customers who are not only aware of these opportunities, but are ready to start a project,” says McDonald.