Cranking up your heat on a cold winter’s night could end up putting a chill on your bank account.

People across the U.S. are paying, on average, almost 10 percent more on utility bills than they did last winter. Why? In the Commonwealth, regulators approved gas and electric rate hikes to cover grid upgrades for the expansion of data centers in the state.

“Northern Virginia has the highest concentration of data centers in the world,” said Virginia Tech electrical engineering expert Saifur Rahman. “To serve the growing power load, Dominion Energy needs to bring electricity from somewhere else, which needs new transmission lines.”

As winter weather ramps up and demand spikes, Rahman and fellow expert Scott Dunning offered tips for lowering your energy bills while keeping warm.

  • Turn the temperature down. “If your home is heated and cooled by a heat pump, consider setting your thermostat cooler in the winter to 68 degrees Fahrenheit," said Rahman.

  • Turn on the fan. “Ceiling fans can help distribute our air more effectively, so run your ceiling fans at a comfortable speed, clockwise to draw heat from the ceiling,” Dunning said.

  • Reduce the load. “When was the last time you wiped down your refrigerator condenser coils? You should do that twice a year with dust rags or a vacuum cleaner,” said Dunning. “Dust on the coils acts like insulation, making the refrigerator work harder and shortening its life.”

  • Monitor your water. “Lower your water heater temperature to 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Many people run higher temperatures than necessary. Run full loads in washers and dishwashers, and take shorter showers to reduce hot water consumption. Wash your clothes in cold or warm water instead of hot,” said Dunning.

  • Audit your energy. “For future energy savings, consider having a professional energy audit,” said Dunning. “Utilities offer rebates to help customers reduce their load. For example, Dominion Energy offers a home energy assessment program and provides you with rebates on energy-efficiency upgrades for thermostats, air purifiers, bathroom vent fans, dehumidifiers, etc.”

About Rahman 

Saifur Rahman is the director of the Advanced Research Institute at Virginia Tech, where he is the Joseph Loring Professor in the Bradley Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. An internationally known researcher in the areas of electrical power, renewable energy, and smart grid, Rahman is the former president and CEO of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. 

About Dunning

Scott Dunning is the special advisor to the department head for Virginia Tech’s Bradley Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, as well as a certified energy manager. His research expertise includes energy efficiency and energy systems. He’s spent the last 25 years teaching short courses to industry on energy savings opportunities in commercial and industrial facilities. 

Interview

To schedule an interview with Rahman or Dunning, contact Margaret Ashburn at mkashburn@vt.edu or 540-529-0814.

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