NEWS RELEASE
XCEL ENERGY
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Temperatures are expected to plummet across Colorado starting Sunday and stretching into next week, prompting Xcel Energy to remind customers it offers tips and programs to help them manage their energy use and save on their energy bills. We also encourage customers to reach out if they’re having trouble paying their energy bills, so we can help with payment plans or connect them to energy assistance programs that can help.
To ensure we can meet our customers’ electric needs even on the coldest days, we maintain a diverse energy mix of wind, solar natural gas and coal sources that allows us to provide customers with the safe and reliable energy they depend on.
Take steps to save
We recognize that inflation is hitting everyone hard, and customers can help minimize the extreme cold weather event’s impacts on their bills by reducing their energy use:
- Lower your thermostat a few degrees, ideally to 68 degrees or lower.
- Adjust your programmable thermostat to automatically lower the temperature while you are away or while you sleep.
- During daylight hours, open drapes and blinds to maximize heat from direct sunlight. To retain heat, keep them closed when it is dark.
- Run ceiling fans in a clockwise direction to push warm air down from the ceiling, adding comfort and savings.
- Keep interior doors open to help circulate air more freely and maintain constant heating levels.
Find more ways to save on the energy savings tips page on xcelenergy.com. Customers can also learn more about programs, incentives and rebates that can help make homes and businesses more energy efficient.
Customers should be safe and comfortable in their homes during the extreme cold. We work with state and local agencies and advocates for income-qualified customers to provide energy assistance to those in need. Energy Outreach Colorado, the Colorado Energy Office and the Colorado Low-income Energy Assistance Program help income-qualified Colorado customers with bill payment assistance, free weatherization and energy-efficiency upgrades, and HVAC repair and replacement. To learn more about energy assistance options, customers can visit xcelenergy.com/EnergyAssistance or call 1-800-895-4999.
Nationwide increases in natural gas prices
While the wholesale price of natural gas has been dropping, prices remain high due to global supply and demand, impacting both natural gas and electric bills. Xcel Energy purchases natural gas at wholesale, and the cost of the natural gas provided to customers and used to generate electricity is passed along to customers without markup.
To protect against market fluctuations in the price, Xcel Energy takes a number of steps, including storing natural gas for use during the heating season, contracting for natural gas in advance. For its electric customers, the company has a diverse energy mix, with many energy sources that can be used to minimize the effect of natural gas price increases on electric bills.
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