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Save Money and Energy With Blue Ridge Electric’s Free Energy Awareness and Conservation Program

by Nikka Hronis

Feb. 6, 2014. We may not be able to control the weather, but now Blue Ridge Electric Membership Corp. can help you control your electric bill. Blue Ridge Electric, a cooperative serving some 74,000 members in Caldwell, Watauga, Ashe, Alleghany, Avery, Wilkes and Alexander countieshas partnered with power awareness program MyUsage.com to offer a free, energy conscious service. MyUsage.com is designed to help members save money and save the environment, while also promoting energy conservation.logo.2

MyUsage Mobile App and MyUsage online allow members to access information about electric, gas, and water consumption levels quickly and at their convenience.

“When consumers become more aware of usage on a daily basis they are more able to conserve and monitor their usage which will cut their costs. This type of information is only available because of automated metering and advances in technology,” said Renee Whitener of Blue Ridge Electric.

With the proper attention, monitoring power usage can cut back utility bills significantly. Users can access hourly usage data to pin point when and where excess energy is being used, and can even sign up to receive alerts if the home is using more electricity than usual. Unknown-3

“The colder it is, the higher your energy usage is going to be. MyUsage helps you understand why you’re using more energy some days. So instead of looking back over a month you can look and see, oh, I had visitors last weekend, or I was cooking more and using more hot water and heat. Its better to be able to look back weekly instead of over an entire month and wonder what it was that ran up your bill,” Whitener said.

MyUsage charts display the daily average temperature for your zip code, represented by a red line on the graph, with individual green bar graphs representing your daily usage. These charts can help identify “energy hogs,” and show which energy saving techniques produce the greatest results, especially during bouts of extreme winter temperatures. 

Due to these plummeting temperatures, Blue Ridge Electric has announced a temporary rate reduction in the month of February. Members will receive a $9 reduction for every 1,000 kilowatt hours of electricity used. These levels can be tracked and monitored with MyUsage for maximum savings.

“In our service area, members use more electricity during these cold winter months so we’re very pleased to provide this reduction at a time when it can most help our members.” said Doug Johnson, chief executive officer of Blue Ridge Electric in a press release. 

“We hope this reduction, along with our free energy efficiency tools and steps that we know many members are making, will all add up to make a difference.” 

All you need is your account number, meter number, and an email address to sign up and take control of your electric bill. Visit BlueRidgeemc.com/MyUsageCom, or download the free app to get started.