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Hi, I'm Natasha Collins with LG&E and KU. January's arctic blast across the Bluegrass
brought the coldest temperatures in almost 20 years. Many areas dipped below zero for
a couple of days with wind chills in the negative teens. Customers' energy needs during that
time set five new peak- energy demand records. As customers have started to receive their
latest utility bills, some have reached out to us, asking why their bill increased, even
though they took steps to conserve energy. So far this year, January is nearly 50% colder
than it was at the same time last year. And, December 2013 was 27% colder than it was in
December 2012. If you're using natural gas to heat your home,
your furnace pulls in outside air, warms it up and pumps it into your home. The colder
the air, the more energy your furnace uses to heat your home.
Whether you use electricity or gas to heat your home, during the polar vortex, your furnace
had to work much harder to maintain a steady temperature than it does on milder winter
days. All of that leads to increased usage and higher
than normal utility bills. Using energy more wisely and taking steps to conserve does help,
but they don't completely offset the increased usage brought on by the record-setting temperatures
we experienced earlier this month. Visit our website for programs and services
that can help make your home more energy efficient. While there, you can also find information
about assistance programs in your area for you or someone you know.