No- and low-cost energy efficiency resources can help customers save money
Portland, Ore. (June 29, 2023) — With warmer summer temperatures this week and forecasts calling for above normal temperatures for the near future, customers may be looking to stay cool and keep energy costs low. A PGE spokesperson will be available for media interviews to offer tips to beat the heat and save money.
Simple steps can help you stay cool:
Take advantage of cooler outdoor air
- If it’s safe, open windows during cooler nights and mornings (make sure open windows are safe for children), using a fan to draw cool air in.
- Running a portable window fan instead of an AC unit at night can save an average home an estimated monthly savings of $32.
Prevent heat from building up inside
- Run appliances such as ovens, stovetops, dishwashers and clothes dryers at night or in the early morning.
Keep your home shaded
- Close curtains on sun-facing windows or use awnings during the day and when running AC units.
Use fans
- Fans can circulate cooled air throughout the house and bring cool morning or evening air inside.
- Turn off fans when no one is in the room or when not trying to circulate cooled air.
Check your thermostat
- Set central air thermostats to 76 degrees, rather than 70 degrees. This difference can result in an estimated monthly savings of about $13.
- Upgrade to a programmable or smart thermostat to help save season after season.
Weatherize your home
- Make sure your ducts are sealed or insulated, and use weather-stripping or caulking around doors, windows, pipes, and cracks. Community Energy Project can help.
Track your energy use and costs
- Enroll online to see your energy use by the day, week or hour, and pinpoint where you use energy so you can learn ways to save.
- Set up text or email notifications to get weekly estimated bill amounts
Sign-up for programs that help you save energy and money
- Peak Time Rebates rewards you for shifting your energy use during peak times – when energy demand and prices are highest.
- When you’re enrolled in the Smart Thermostat program, your thermostat automatically adjusts a few degrees to shift your energy use away from peak times.
For more ways to use energy more efficiently and participate in energy-saving programs, visit our website.
About Portland General Electric Company
Portland General Electric (NYSE: POR) is a fully integrated energy company that generates, transmits and distributes electricity to over 900,000 customers in 51 cities across the state of Oregon. For more than 130 years, Portland General Electric (PGE) has powered the advancement of society, delivering safe, affordable, reliable and increasingly clean energy. To deliver on its strategy and meet state targets, PGE and its approximately 3,000 employees are committed to partnering with stakeholders to achieve at least an 80% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from power served to customers by 2030 and 100% reduction by 2040. PGE customers set the standard for prioritizing clean energy with the No. 1 voluntary renewable energy program in the country. Additionally, for the fifth year in a row, PGE was recognized by the Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index which highlights companies committed to creating a more equal and inclusive workplace. As a reflection of the company’s commitment to the community it serves, in 2022, PGE employees, retirees and the PGE Foundation donated nearly $5.5 million and volunteered more than 18,000 hours with more than 400 nonprofits across Oregon. For more information visit www.PortlandGeneral.com/news.
