PUD Asking Customers To Conserve As Usage And Temps Climb

The Snohomish PUD urges customers to save water and energy as record demand is expected in June.

Long-term electricity consumption could set a record in June.

As mercury continues to rise today, Snohomish County’s PUD is encouraging customers to do their best to save energy and water safely. Due to the extreme heat and the start of the working week, the PUD assumes that it will have its highest energy and water requirements today in June.

“As we prepare to meet today’s high energy needs, we are carefully making sure we have enough power to meet our customers’ needs,” said Jason Zyskowski, PUD Assistant General Manager of Generation, Power, Rates and Transmission Management. “But every customer who makes small changes to save energy can help us together to keep electricity consumption low.”

On hot summer days, the energy demand peaks after noon and before 10 p.m. Customers should try to conserve energy during this time by pre-cooling your room before 5:00 p.m. and waiting until 7:00 p.m. to turn it back on.

Follow these tips to save energy and make your space comfortable:

Keep your thermostat up to 78 degrees: If you have central air conditioning, turn your thermostat to 78 degrees when you are at home and 84 degrees when you are away. With every level you increase, you can save 3-5% on home cooling costs.
Close the blinds: Closing your blinds, shades or curtains on warm days keeps the sun’s rays out and helps keep your home cool. If you have air conditioning, it can also help you save energy as it blocks up to 45% of the heat from the sun.
Use Small Appliances in the Kitchen: Use a crock pot, toaster, or microwave in place of your large stove or oven when preparing meals to keep your home cooler and save energy. These small devices only use 20-50% of the energy needed to cook the same meal on your stove or oven. It is even better to light up the grill and prepare meals outside.
Wait for the dishwasher and laundry to run: Avoid using your dishwasher or washing machine and dryer until later that night. Take a cool shower instead of a warm one.

The PUD also urges its 22,000 water customers to conserve water to ensure water needs can be met throughout the summer. The PUD does not anticipate heat-related interruptions to the water supply, but the record temperatures and the associated high water consumption are polluting parts of their water system.

“We encourage our customers to moderate their outdoor water usage and help conserve this precious natural resource,” said Brant Wood, PUD’s Water Utility Assistant General Manager.

PUD’s water company serves customers in Lake Stevens, the Granite Falls and Arlington areas, Kayak Estates, and Warm Beach.