O&R Continues Heat Watch, Asks Customers to Conserve Energy

In addition to the another Air Quality Alert issued for today by the Rockland County Health Department, with the rising temperatures Orange and Rockland Utilities has has again issued a Summer Heat Watch Advisory for today.

O&R expects energy use to increase as Rocklanders turn up the air conditioning and push the load on the O&R electric system past 1300 megawatts — today's forecast is for 1,428 megawatts. O&R's all-time electric demand record is 1,617 megawatts which was set on Aug. 2, 2006.

With the rising heat, O&R asks customers to ease up on their electric usage wherever possible to prevent an overload on the power system.

The Heat Watch advisory means O&R field crews are focusing primarily on emergency work, with normal work being performed as system conditions permit. The advisory also means that distribution system engineers closely monitor the loads on distribution circuits, transformer banks and other key system components to detect any heat-related issues so any concerns are addressed quickly, according to O&R.

O&R suggests these steps to help beat the heat and save on energy usage:

customers can take to use electricity more effectively to beat the heat.

*  Set the thermostat of your central air conditioner at 78 degrees F or higher to achieve maximum savings on your cooling costs.  Setting the room temperature on the air conditioner at 75 degrees costs about 15 percent more. A 72-degree setting costs about 30 percent more than the 78-degree setting.

*  Install a timer or clock thermostat on your air conditioner so you can program it to operate and shut-off at pre-determined hours. That saves you from running it all day so you return at day's end to a cool house.

*  If you have a room air-conditioning unit, close off the rooms not being used; if you have central air, block off the vents for un-used rooms.

 *  Plan cooking, baking or other household activities that produce heat and humidity for the cooler times of the day and night.

*  Use a portable or ceiling fan to circulate the pre-cooled air in your air-conditioned home. A fan uses about 90 percent less energy than an air conditioner.

* In very humid weather, adjust your air conditioner's fan to a low setting. It'll take longer for the air conditioner to cool your home, but your unit will bring in steamy air at a slower rate and make you feel more comfortable.

* As the sun moves from east to west during the day, pull your curtains and shades on windows to block out the heat.

Aside from your cooling system, the refrigerator is the largest energy-using appliance in the typical home, representing 20 percent of the typical electric bill, according to O&R.

*  Maintain a constant temperature in the refrigerator of between 36 and 38 degrees for maximum effectiveness. The freezer should be kept at 15 degrees.

*  If the temperature outside is 95 degrees or more, change the refrigerator temperature to a higher setting so it does not have to work as hard.

*  Cover liquid items. They give off humidity that forces the refrigerator to use more energy.

*  Maintain a full freezer or add ice cubes so it is full, and does not have to cool open air space that takes more energy.

*  Place the most used items in one place so that the door will be open for a shorter period of time.

If you have problems with your electric service,  call O&R at 1-877-434-4100.

With the Health Department's Air Quality Advisory, the agency recommends that Rocklanders — especially those with breathing problems — avoid strenuous activities such as playing sports during the hottest parts of the day.