Kentucky Power offers customers ways to improve energy efficiency, programs to help winter bills - WCHS

Kentucky Power offers ways to improve energy efficiency, programs to help winter bills | WCHS

ASHLAND, Ky. (WCHS) — Preparing now for winter can make a big difference in electric bills over the next several cold weather months, according to a news release from Kentucky Power.

Following recommendations that help make your home as energy efficient as possible is the first step to saving money this winter, the news release said.

“It’s our priority to ensure our customers have access to information on how to be more energy efficient, Amy Elliott, Kentucky Power external affairs and customer services vice president, said in the news release. “On our website, customers can find many tips and tools to improve energy efficiency, as well as payment plans and information about assistance programs that help manage winter bills.”

According to Elliott, bills are typically higher in the winter due to increased usage of electricity.

“With cold weather comes higher demand for electricity to power and heat homes and businesses,” she said in the news release. “We also encourage customers to understand how heat pumps and space heaters can increase usage. In the winter, heating systems run longer, work harder and use more energy. When temperatures drop below freezing, your heat pump operates in auxiliary mode, which uses less efficient electric resistance heat to help keep your home warm.”

Kentucky power is offering the following tips to improve a home’s energy efficiency and reduce usage to help save money:

Have your furnace and ductwork inspected annually. Loose or broken ductwork can account for 35 percent of a home’s energy loss.

Change furnace filters every month.

Caulk, seal and weather strip any air leaks.

Increase attic insulation. Recommended level is R-38 or 10-16 inches blown.

Unless it is equipped specifically for home heating, use your fireplace sparingly. Warm air escaped through the chimney. Close the damper when the fireplace is not being used.

Maintain consistent temperatures. A programmable thermostat can help heat pump customers gradually change settings to limit use of the costly emergency heating mode.

Open drapes and shades on south-facing windows to let in sun and heat during the day. Close them at night to keep the heat in and cold out.

The news release said Kentucky Power also offers payment plans, such as the Average Monthly Payment (AMP) plan, which helps customers avoid weather-related spikes in their bills.

“AMP evens out payments over a 12-month cycle, which is especially helpful in cold weather when usage is typically at its highest,” Elliott said in the news release. “Customers who choose this plan know what their bill payment will be each month, making it easier to manage their budget.”

More payment options can be found at KentuckyPower.com/WinterBillHelp. Energy saving ideas are available at KentuckyPower.com/savings, the news release said.

According to the news release, some Kentucky Power customers may sign up for payment assistance through Community Action Partnership programs, including Kentucky Power’s HEART and THAW winter assistance programs, as well as the LIHEAP assistance program. Customers can find their local community action agency office at KentuckyPower.com/assistance.

The Home Energy Assistance in Reduced Temperatures (HEART) program is available for income-qualified customers and provides participating residential customers who have electric heat with $115 of assistance each month from January to April, the news release said.

Qualifying customers with non-electric heat can receive $58 a month for those same four months. HEART applications began being accepted on Wednesday by Community Action and LIHEAP applications will be accepted beginning Monday, the news release said.

Temporary Heating Assistance in Winter (THAW) can assist customers facing hardship and in need or more limited assistance, according to the news release.

Qualified customers can receive up to $175 toward their electric bill and the program is available January through April or until designated funds are depleted in a first-come, first-serve basis. THAW applications are typically accepted around the first week of January, the news release said.

The news release said customers who do not qualify for either HEART or THAW can still get help by contacting Kentucky Power’s 24-hour Customer Operations Center at 1-800-572-1113 to discuss payment arrangements and options or by going to KentuckyPower.com/assistance.

“We want our customers to know that there are ways we can help and always encourage customers to call our customer service,” Elliott said in the news release.

Kentucky Power is an operating company in the AEP system with headquarters in Ashland, the news release said. Kentucky Power provides service to about 163,000 customers in 20 eastern Kentucky counties.