Nine days of 100-degree temperatures forecasted
A heat wave is forecasted to begin today with temperatures at or above 100 degrees through next week. Power reliability is a core value and SMUD has enough power resources to meet expected demand, barring a grid or other emergencies such as wildfire or unexpected power shortfall.
While SMUD customers enjoy some of the lowest rates in California, air-conditioning needs can drive customers’ energy usage and bills higher. To help keep energy use in check without giving up cooling comfort, the first step is to keep a home from heating up, which can help reduce air conditioning usage during the peak hours of 5 p.m. – 8 p.m. on weekdays.
SMUD has energy-saving solutions available on its website at smud.org/Heatwave and offers the following tips to save money:
- In the summer, use fans and close blinds on windows that get direct sun.
- Set your thermostat to 78 degrees or higher. For every two degrees that you turn your thermostat up, you can save 5-10 percent on cooling costs.
- Use a programmable/smart thermostat to help control HVAC.
- Turn off lights and/or switch to LEDs.
- Avoid running large appliances during the peak hours of 5 p.m. – 8 p.m.
- Prepare cool meals, use the BBQ or small appliances that don’t heat up your home.
- Customers can also get customized tips, manage their bills and set up alerts on the SMUD website at smud.org/MyAccount or via the SMUD mobile app.
In the event of an outage, customers can report and track restoration times at smud.org/Outages and on the SMUD app.
