While some factors—like the cost of fuel to generate electricity—are out of our hands, there are actions all of us can take to hold down the cost of electricity.
As a cooperative, owned by the people we serve, our priority is offering you solutions to the challenge of holding down the cost of electricity. That’s why we’re asking you to join us to TEAM UP TO POWER DOWN. This means taking time to become more informed about why costs are increasing, then considering changes in how and when you use electricity.
SCI REMC offers several programs designed to help members reduce energy usage. These programs include rebates on energy-efficient heating and cooling systems, rebates on electric hot water heaters, CFL bulbs, refrigerator recycling, Beat the Peak, and more.
- For the latest on Team Up to Power Down, check the daily energy-efficiency tips, how-to videos, and other ways to save money, visit Facebook.com/TeamUpToPowerDown.
- For even more money-saving tips, and to see exactly how much you'll save by reducing the amount of electricity you use, visit TogetherWeSave.com and EnergyStar.org or EnergySavers.gov.
- You can learn more about proposed legislation and find out how to contact your legislators to express your opinion at FairPowerNow.org.
When we Team Up To Power Down, we reduce energy consumption and cut overall demand. This not only can reduce individual power bills, but it will help delay the need for building additional generating facilities.
Renewables Won’t Close the Gap
In addition to being environmentally responsible, SCI REMC is working to keep costs as low as possible. Now, we need your help.
Electricity prices are expected to rise 20 percent or more in the next decade. The U.S. Department of Energy predicts demand will increase about 30 percent by 2030. Coal and fuel oil prices are expected to jump 50 percent in the next few years. The cost to deliver power through the regional grid has increased 10 percent in five years and could increase 75 percent in the next two years.
During the past five years, our power supplier, Hoosier Energy, has invested more than $600 million in environmental facilities and new generation resources to meet increasing power requirements. Plans call for investing an additional $900 million through 2015, primarily to comply with environmental regulations. As our nation’s economy continues to rebound from the recession, new businesses and homes are constantly being added to the grid. Demand for electricity rises every day. Many electric plants are already working at or near full capacity. New plants are extremely expensive to build, so it’s important that we curb our energy use to delay building new power plants for as long as possible.
Electricity costs are rising—and are likely to go even higher in the near future due to factors beyond our control, such as the cost of fuel to generate electricity. In order to provide reliable electricity at the lowest possible cost, SCI REMC is working to balance traditional ways of generating power with renewable energy. Currently, close to 3 percent of our power comes from renewable resources. Renewables provide an important supply of supplemental energy, but they can be quite costly and less reliable than traditional fuel sources. SCI REMC offers members the change to purchase power from renewable resources through EnviroWatts program.