Across the country, people are adjusting in their daily lives as inflation continues to make national headlines. The local community is no exception.
Richie Moore, general manager of the Public Service Commission, said people should begin considering what energy-saving techniques they can utilize in their own homes, adding that utility costs are being greatly affected with energy cost adjustments and increased consumption.
Since June of 2020, the change in energy costs have increased by 192 percent, Moore said.
“During the months of June, July and August, costs are usually higher,” Moore said. “Not so much because of cost, but the overall consumption increases as well. But now what we are facing in addition to increased consumption is energy cost adjustments. The cost to generate has increased as well.”
The Public Service Commission has traditionally joined with Clarksdale Public Utilities to purchase power in an effort to get a reduced amount, Moore said.
In June of 2020, it cost PSC and CPU about $647,000 to purchase about 17 million kilowatt-hours. In June of 2021, roughly the same amount of KWH increased to about $1.2 million dollars. However, this June saw a tremendous increase with about 19 million KWH costing about $2 million dollars.
“In June of 2021, PSC absorbed most of the increase due to us financially planning and having reserves,” Moore said. “It did not have to be passed onto the customers until about November of 2021. But now, with the consumption and energy cost adjustments, it is just like everything else…the price is increasing.”
But there are some ways customers can save on their energy costs, Moore added. He suggests that customers set their air conditioning units to 78 degrees during the day.
“If you leave your unit on 72 or 73 degrees throughout the day, while you are not there, you are essentially cooling an empty house,” Moore said. “I also recommend that rooms that are not being used, close those vents off to those rooms. It can save you some money with rooms nobody occupies.”
Moore also said increases are not unique to just PSC customers.
“It is a challenge across the entire utility industry and other industries as well,” Moore said. “And we are being conscious at PSC about how we spend. I assure you, we are as lean as we can be. But you can’t continue to trim any more fat without your reliability suffering.”
Moore said the current situation with inflation is a challenge, but PSC continues to plan for the future. And although PSC customers may see an increase in their bills, Moore recommends using energy-saving methods during the remainder of the summer season.
