It’s down with thermostats and up with creative conservation to cut energy costs

By HOLLY SCHOENSTEIN

A 42 percent increase in electricity shutoffs shows some have lost the battle.

YOUNGSTOWN — Energy-conscious folks keep their thermostats at the highest tolerable temperature in the summer and the coolest in the winter.

They turn the lights off when leaving a room and unplug appliances that are not used regularly.

But the rising costs of utility bills — along with the rising costs of everything — leave some people searching for more ways to conserve energy and money.

Cindy Kobylanski, of Boardman, said she turns on the air conditioner only if the outdoor temperature reaches the high 80s or low 90s, or if the dew point rises significantly, causing intolerable humidity.

“With everything, [our electricity bill’s] been going up, so we’ve had to watch,” she said.

The installation of new windows a couple of years ago will not lower the gas bill enough this fall and winter, so she will break out the sweaters instead of turning up the thermostat.

Even with the things her family does to keep heating and cooling costs down, the electricity bill in the summer for the family of four is at least $80 per month, and the gas bill ranges from $100 to $200 per month in the winter.

“I don’t see much else we can do,” she said. “We are concerned.”

But some people have moved beyond concern about the amounts of their utility bills. Some have had their electricity or gas services disconnected because of non-payment.

Dominion East Ohio serves 1.2 million customers in Northeast Ohio, Lima and Marietta. The company reported 13,261 gas disconnects in June 2008, which was up more than 40 percent compared to June 2007 and up nearly 80 percent compared to June 2006, according to data obtained from the Ohio Consumers’ Counsel.

Ohio Edison declined to provide the number of disconnects for June 2008, citing “privacy reasons.” But company spokesman Mark Durbin said disconnects have not varied much from year to year.

However, Ohio Edison reported a 42 percent increase in the number of disconnects from June 2006 to June 2007.

“We are willing to work with customers who are having trouble paying their bills,” Durbin said. “We have to do everything we can, up to — and including — a shut-off.”

But disconnecting electricity in the summer and gas in the winter can be dangerous when temperatures soar or drop.

Ohio Consumers’ Counsel Janine Migden-Ostrander said there is a real concern for keeping utility costs affordable because the costs of everything are going up, but most incomes are not.

“We’re very concerned about the income-level payments and the working poor, who are just above the cutoffs,” Migden-Ostrander said. “There are no tools out there for them, other than energy efficiency, which is something we push very strongly.”

The Ohio Consumers’ Counsel advocates for energy efficiency and works with utility companies to implement energy-saving programs. It also represents utility customers who are having trouble paying their bills, among other things.

The organization has worked with Ohio Edison to implement programs, such as the Home Performance with Energy Star program, to help customers conserve.

The Ohio Consumers’ Counsel is working with Dominion to create similar programs. Dominion proposed to spend $6 million on energy-efficiency programs annually for three years, but the Counsel has recommended that it increase that amount to $15.6 million annually, for a total of $46.8 million.

Numerous programs are available for those who need help paying gas and electricity bills or for those who are interested in lowering them.

Felicia Thomas lives with her parents in Youngstown. They have participated in the Home Energy Assistance Program, which is funded by Ohio’s Department of Development.

“Our house is very old, and we have gas pipes for our heat. It’s very hard to get everything warm throughout the winter,” Thomas said.

Her parents pay the gas bill, so she doesn’t know how much it runs, but it has cost in the “low thousands” in the past.

“We weren’t very happy. They were on a payment plan, and they finally got it paid off,” she said. “We are concerned, and we don’t want that every year.”

Her family sealed off areas through which cold air may seep.

Both Ohio Edison and Dominion encourage customers to call if they have billing questions or if they would like more information on energy assistance programs.

For more information about the Ohio Consumers’ Counsel, visit www.pickocc.org or call 1-877-PICKOCC.

hschoenstein@vindy.com