Electric power bills for residents across the region for energy used in December were much higher than normal as a result of the extreme winter temperatures experienced in the area, officials said Monday.

“Judging from the local weather patterns, customers will continue to see significant increases in their utility bills for energy used in January,” a City of Oak Ridge press release said.

“We frequently receive calls from customers who say they have not changed the temperature on their thermostat, but their bill has increased,” said Marlene Bannon, manager of the Oak Ridge Utility Business Office. “Although you may keep the thermostat temperature consistent, your HVAC unit has to work harder to heat the air when temperatures drop, therefore using more power.”

The “degree-days of heating” is used as a measure for how hard your unit has to work to keep your home at a set temperature. In Oak Ridge during December 2017, there were 591 degree days of heating—almost twice the number from November, the press release said. [Read more…]