With heating fuel costs at record highs, Vermont’s electric utilities today made an unusual plea to consumers: do your homework before turning to electric heat or hot water.

 The utilities urged customers concerned about winter heating costs to take several steps now:

• Take all possible steps to reduce heating costs by making your home more efficient before considering the use of electric heat or hot water.
• Low-income Vermonters can apply for weatherization assistance.  Your local office can be found at http://www.dcf.state.vt.us/oeo/weatherization.
• Low-income Vermonters can apply to the Vermont Seasonal Fuel Assistance Program between July 15 and Aug. 31.  To learn more, visit www.dcf.state.vt.us or call 800-479-6151.
• Efficiency Vermont provides information on home energy savings, rebates for qualifying energy-efficient products, access to reduced-rate financing for home energy improvements and links to certified “Home Performance with ENERGY STAR” contractors. Call 888-921-5990, or visit www.efficiencyvermont.com. 
• Rather than using electricity for heat or hot water, consider other fuel sources, such as natural gas, wood, wood pellets and solar hot-water-heating units to replace fuel oil or propane, and consider all costs involved. 
• Begin now to set aside funds to pay for heat next winter.
• If you must use electric heating, consider whether time-of-day options could reduce your costs.  In some cases, these rates require a one-year commitment.

 “Fuel costs may be frightening, but we urge consumers to do a thorough analysis of all costs and related issues before turning to electricity for heating,” members of E-21, a state utility coalition, said today in a joint statement.  “Despite the run-up in fuel prices, electricity may not provide any savings for heating, and presents other concerns.”

E-21 said customers across the state are asking about electric heat and hot water.  Individual customers may find electricity to be an attractive option at first glance, but a deeper examination shows potential pitfalls. Customers could create huge bills they can’t pay, and new electricity demands could tax portions of the electrical grid, E-21 said. 

“People who use electricity to replace oil in part because they don’t have to pay for it immediately could create significant electric bills,” E-21 said.  “That would mean putting off a short-term concern by creating a larger long-term problem.

“A broad shift to electric heat and hot water could also put undue pressure on portions of the grid, especially on the coldest winter days, when demand is already very high,” the group said.

Customers who turn to electric or fuel-burning space heaters are urged to take these steps:

• Use electricity wisely. Turn off all unnecessary lights and other appliances to help keep overall loads and costs down.
• Close off unneeded rooms, and heat only space that you use.  Ensure water pipes have adequate insulation or heat and don’t freeze.
• Turn the heat down when no one is home and when going to bed.
• Use extreme caution with portable space heaters.  Keep children away, and be sure no combustible materials are placed nearby. If you use a “vent-free” fuel-burning space heater, use it only in well-ventilated areas and in accordance with manufacturers’ requirements.
• Refrain from using an electric stove as a source of heat.

Media contacts for E-21 utilities include:

Barton Village Inc. Electric Department, Denis Poirier (802-525-4748) 

Burlington Electric Department, Mary Sullivan (802-865-7417)

Central Vermont Public Service, Steve Costello (802-747-5427)

Green Mountain Power, Dottie Schnure pager (802-450-2213)

Hardwick Electric Department, Eric Werner (802-472-5201)

Lyndonville Electric Department, Kenneth C. Mason (802-626-3366)

Morrisville Water & Light Department (802-888-3348)

Readsboro Electric Department, Annette Caruso (802-423-7010)

Stowe Electric Department, Ellen L. Burt (802-253-7215)

Vermont Electric Power Company (VELCO), Kerrick Johnson (802-770-6166)

Vermont Electric Cooperative, Kathryn Kantorski (802-730-1129)

Vermont Marble Power Division of Omya Inc., Todd Allard (802-770-7138)

Village of Enosburg Falls Water & Light Department, Jonathan Elwell (802-933-4443)

Village of Hyde Park, Don Waterhouse (802-888-2310)

Village of Jacksonville Electric Company, Joseph Winter (802-368-2811)

Village of Johnson Water & Light Department, Duncan Hastings (802-635-2611)

Village of Ludlow Electric Light Department (802-228-7766)

Village of Northfield Electric Department, Nanci Allard (802-485-6121

Village of Orleans Electric Department, John Morley, III (802-754-8584)

Village of Swanton Electric Department (802-868-3397)

Washington Electric Cooperative Inc., Avram Patt (800-932-5245)

Additional Resources

Vermont Public Power Supply Authority, Patty Richards (802-244-7678)

Efficiency Vermont, Blair Hamilton (888-921-5990)