Happy New Year! I hope that you and your family had a wonderful holiday season and are preparing for all that 2025 has to offer. As we welcome the new year, we also know that it is time for our South Carolina winter temperatures to appear in full force. On behalf of Duke Energy, I wanted to pass along some information of ways that we are preparing for the winter weather ahead as well as some energy saving tips for you in your home or business.
Duke Energy has a detailed plan to manage the power grid in extreme conditions. We have a team of meteorologists who track weather conditions and system operators who monitor the electric power system 24/7 to help ensure we have an adequate supply of electricity to meet customer demand. When temperatures are extreme, we rely on our diverse energy mix to serve customers.
We are strengthening the grid to make it more resistant to outages and equipment failures during extreme weather. We are also improving the resiliency of the grid – the ability to restore service quickly when outages occur – and adding smart technologies to avoid power outages and restore service faster.
While we do all we can to prevent outages, now is the time to check your emergency supply kit and replenish any supplies that you may have used or have expired. If you do experience an outage, you can find updates at duke-energy.com/outages, the Duke Energy app available for download on smartphones, by calling 1-800-POWER-ON, or by texting OUT to 57801.
Winter Energy Saving Tips
When the temperatures drop, the demand for energy spikes. Luckily, there are a number of easy, but important adjustments you can make to manage your heating costs.
Reduce your thermostat to the lowest comfortable setting. If you have a heat pump, maintain a moderate setting, or use a programmable thermostat specifically designed for use with heat pumps.
Leave drapes or blinds open during sunny winter days to allow the sun to warm the house. Close them at night to help insulate your home.
Have the heating and air conditioning system checked regularly to maintain performance. Duke Energy offers qualified customers rebates to help offset the cost of replacing older HVAC units with more energy-efficient ones.
Replace standard incandescent bulbs with light-emitting diodes (LED). LEDs are more efficient while giving off the same amount of light.
Operate ceiling fans in a clockwise direction, which pushes warm air back down into the room.
Change air filters regularly. A dirty air filter makes a heating system work harder, which uses more energy.
Set your water heater’s thermostat to 120 degrees to help you reduce your monthly water heating bills.
For more energy-saving, bill-lowering tips, check out duke-energy.com/SeasonalSavings.
Take care and, as always, reach out if you have any questions.
