AES Ohio is here to help you better understand your usage following the coldest January in a decade.
Understanding your bill: extreme cold weather can bring higher usage
February 12, 2025
AES Ohio, a subsidiary of The AES Corporation (NYSE: AES), is helping customers to understand the reasons why bills are higher in cold weather and how their home uses energy.
Ohio experienced the coldest January in the past decade, which led to higher heating bills due to extended subzero temperatures. AES Ohio is urging customers to prepare for higher bills as more winter weather is heading into our service territory this week, bringing along extreme cold temperatures and the possibility of snow and ice.
Winter utility bills are often higher because it takes more energy to heat your home to the temperature you set, even though you have not changed your thermostat setting.
Understanding home energy usage
- Heating and cooling account for over half your home’s energy usage.
- The number of days in each billing cycle can vary causing higher bills if there are more days.
- People usually spend more time inside during the cold winter months, which increases electricity use for appliances, lights and electronics.
AES Ohio is committed to helping customers take control of their energy use and save money by following these cold weather energy efficiency tips:
- Help reduce heating costs. Set your thermostat back at least 8 degrees each day – when you are at work and when you go to bed. 70 degrees is a good threshold for when you are home, and lower when you are away or sleeping.
- Don’t set the thermostat higher than you want it, even if you’re trying to heat your home quickly. It won’t heat your home any faster, and it runs your system longer than necessary.
- Don't let anything – including furniture, drapes and curtains – block heating airflow.
- Open curtains and blinds during the day to let sunlight in and close them at night to keep cold air out.
- For more winter savings tips and resources, visit aes-ohio.com/cold-weather-tips.
If you are experiencing difficulty in paying your bill, assistance programs are available that may be able to provide support.
- Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) onetime annual benefit to your main heating source account.
- Winter Crisis Program (WCP) helps eligible Ohioans maintain the utility services they need to stay safe and warm during the winter months.
- Percentage of Income Payment Plan Plus (PIPP Plus) an extended payment arrangement that requires gas and electric companies to accept payments based on a percentage of the household income.
- Home Weatherization Assistance Program (HWAP) residential energy efficiency program. For a list of providers, visit hwap.development.ohio.gov.
- Gift of Power: AES Ohio helps customers who have faced recent financial challenges but do not qualify for other Ohio Energy Assistance programs. The application period begins January 21, 2025, and continues until April 15, 2025.
To learn more visit, aes-ohio.com/payment-assistance.
About AES Ohio
AES Ohio is a subsidiary of The AES Corporation and provides regulated electric utility service to more than 539,000 residential, commercial and industrial customers in a 6,000-square-mile service area in West Central Ohio. Our people operate and maintain more than 1,600 miles of transmission lines, 13,000 miles of overhead distribution lines, 4,500 miles of underground distribution lines and 160 substations feeding 490 distribution circuits.
Learn more about how AES Ohio is accelerating the future of energy, visit aes-ohio.com. Connect with AES Ohio on X, Facebook, and LinkedIn.