BMU requests customers to reduce power consumption

Because the current winter storm is causing a spike in electricity demand, Berea Municipal Utilities (BMU) is asking customers to reduce their consumption of power on Thursday.

According to a press release from BMU, customers are encouraged to cut back their electricity use from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. on Thursday, January 9. The request comes at the behest of the city’s power provider, the Mid-continent Independent System Operator (MISO) transmission market, which recently issued a power demand alert.

In accordance with the request to help reduce power demand, the city is asking BMU customers to do the following:

Open curtains during the day to let natural light in, but close them at night to help retain heat and reduce energy use;

When in your residence, set the thermostat to the lowest setting as comfortably possible;

When out of the house, set the thermostat back;

Try to avoid using high-energy appliances during said hours, including stoves, ovens dishwashers, dryers and washers;

Seal up air leaks around windows and doors;

Turn off all interior and exterior lighting when not in use.

As part of her report to Berea City Council on Tuesday, City Administrator Rose Beverly noted that conserving energy will not only help ensure that the power stays on, it will also reduce energy costs for BMU customers.  

 “BMU would like to request customers to be cognizant of the extreme cold weather over the next few days,” Beverly said. “This helps lower the risk of overload on the transmission system that feeds Berea, and also helps save customers on their monthly bill.”

Another snowstorm is expected to hit Berea and Madison County by Friday.