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If
you have a questions about AEL&P’s
business, operations, and services, please send e-mail to
service@aelp.com.
Where
does our electricity come from?
During normal conditions, AEL&P
produces 100% of its base-load generation through
hydroelectric power. This provides clean, renewable, and low-cost power for
Juneau.
The
Juneau community has 91 megawatts of installed generation
capacity at four power plants:
Snettisham, Annex Creek, Salmon Creek, and Gold Creek.
By the summer of 2009, AEL&P expects to energize the Lake
Dorothy Hydroelectric Project, which will boost Juneau's
hydro capacity by 20 percent.
Snettisham
is the largest hydro project with a maximum peak output of 85
megawatts and an average annual energy output of 325 million
kilowatt hours. This
project is located about 28 air-miles southeast of downtown
Juneau and provides 80-85% of Juneau’s electric energy. Built by the federal government in 1973 and expanded in 1990,
the Snettisham Project was sold to the State of Alaska in
1998. AEL&P
operates and maintains the project under the provisions of a
long-term power sales agreement with the State.
Two
other smaller hydroelectric plants supply power year-round.
The Annex Creek and Salmon Creek Power plants are
historically tied to the gold mining days when low-cost power
was needed to operate the mills.
The two plants were engineering marvels for their day,
built in 1914-16, and continue to provide low-cost, reliable
power today. Both
provide the remaining 6 megawatts of capacity and add an
additional 50 million kilowatt hours of energy production
yearly.
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Why did my bill
increase this month?
If you receive a bill that is
higher than normal, the first thing to look for is how many
days of service were in the billing period. This number is
located in the middle of the bill just above the “Meter
Reading Data”. More
days in the month will generally relate to a higher bill.
Next, find the KWH/Billing
Day data under the “Energy Management Information” box
<picture> Compare it to your prior year.
If it's significantly different, stop to think if you
have added a major appliance or altered your lifestyle in some
way that would account for the change. Another good reference
is to compare the “average temperature” for the current
year and prior year. Lower
outdoor temperatures will generally cause a higher energy
bill. Also
compare the meter reading on your bill to the reading on the
meter.
Why do my bills vary
when I don't do anything different?
Our life may seem routine and
change little. However, there are events that go unnoticed that do change
the amount of energy your home uses.
Seasonal weather changes have the largest impact
because of heating requirements. Space heating accounts for
about 50% of your energy bill.
Other winter loads include portable space heaters, heat
tapes, furnace fan motors, humidifiers and lighting. All these
appliances can cause your bill to increase.
The best answer to this question is to ask yourself
“what has changed” or “what is plugged in that I am not
aware of”?
Why is my bill so high,
we’ve been out of town for 3-weeks?
Your home continues to use
energy even when you are gone.
Consider the electrical appliances that work while you
are away. The
refrigerator and freezer, water heater, electronics, and any
appliance that is thermostatically controlled.
Indoor temperatures for most homes are kept above 65
degrees Fahrenheit. If the outdoor average temperature for the day is below 65
your home will require heat energy.
The lowest setting on most thermostats is 50 degrees
Fahrenheit, so homeowners may not be aware that their heat is
running during cold weather. The only way to assure all
electric remains off, is to turn off the circuit breakers to
the heat circuits. Many
people forget that energized lights and appliances add heat to
their homes. Your furnace or electric heater will run longer
if these lights and appliances are off while you are on
vacation.
Why does the graph show
my use higher this year than last year?
The
graph shows your location's usage as average
kilowatt-hours per day for 15-months. Directly
below the graph are three important tools that help you
understand your bill. Consider the following as causes
for a higher bill:
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If
the average temperature is cooler, your
heating cost will be higher. As you know, heating is
your #1 costs causer.
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If
your average kilowatt hours per day is
higher, you might want to consider how your use of
electricity is different from the prior year. This
number creates a better comparison when billing periods
differ in length. Average cost per day will
fluctuate with our seasonal rates, and varies if other
billed charges are included in the total cost.
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Did
you add electrical equipment or do more people live in the
house now compared to last year?
The answer to this question
is not an easy one because the events of a year ago are
difficult to reconstruct.
However, it is a good question and deserves some
research. Call
the office and talk with our Customer Service Department.
I heat
with oil, why is my bill higher in the winter?
Furnaces have electric motors
that operate when the furnace is on, and may continue to run
until the furnace shuts off. During a cold month, the single
highest contributor to your electric bill may be your oil
furnace. Also,
more time is spent inside during the winter, which causes most
lighting, and other appliances to be used more.
How much can I expect
my bill to increase if I add new lights?
Lets take an example:
Christmas tree lights will cost 10 cents per day for a
string of 100 miniature lights (45 watts) if they are on for
24 hours. Here is
how you calculate costs for any appliance.
Take the wattage (45 w) and multiply by the number
hours used (24 hrs.) and divide by 1000. This gives you the amount of energy in kilowatt-hours (kwh).
Multiply this amount (1.08 kwh) by $0.10 (cost of
electricity). This
equals about 10 cents. To
reduce the costs, only leave them on for 12 hours and spend 5
cents a day.
Why is my bill higher
than my neighbors’ when our homes are the same size?
Life styles, construction
quality, and appliances play a big part in determining your homes energy
costs. Comparing
homes of equal size is common and does provide a starting
place to begin discussing the subject.
Trying to heat a leaky, poorly insulated house is like
trying to draw a bath with no plug in the drain.
No matter how much hot water you pump in the tub never
fills. Homes and
how people use them differ.
Putting those major factors aside, a home of equal
size, similar construction, and generally the same lifestyle
should use about the same amount of energy.
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Why do I have to pay a
customer charge each month?
This charge covers the cost
of providing you with service, whether or not you actually use
any electricity. This
portion of your bill covers expenses such as metering,
billing, and maintaining your service drop.
This cost is spread equally among customers with your
rate classification.
Why
do I have to pay a customer charge each time I move?
Anytime we send out a bill
the customer charge is included to cover the cost of setting
up your new account. The
charge covers the customer service, meter reading, and bill
presentation.
What
is the Cost of Power Adjustment?
This charge covers the cost
of diesel fuel used to operate AEL&P’s standby (backup)
generators if they are needed. It also is a means to collect additional money for
electricity produced from the Snettisham hydro project if
needed. The COPA is re-calculated every May and October.
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Can I pay by credit
card?
Electronic
checking, credit, debit and ATM card payments
are now possible through our secure website and by calling the
vendor direct. Our options currently
include:
eCheck:
This option allows you to send a check or savings account
payment from your computer. Your
payment will be processed the following bank/AEL&P
business day. There is no fee for this service. AEL&P
Holidays
The
SpeedPay Payment Service:
This option is available if you wish to pay using VISA,
MasterCharge, Discover, debit or ATM card. The SpeedPay
service is not affiliated with AEL&P. A convenience
fee of $5.95 is charged per transaction for every $500
paid. This SpeedPay fee shows as a separate transaction
on your bankcard or bank statement. AEL&P cannot
waive this fee. Payments made by 2 p.m. are posted to
your account the next business day.
Payments
by Phone: The SpeedPay service can be reached toll
free at 1-866-734-4358. You may use VISA,
MasterCharge, Discover, debit, ATM, checking and some savings
accounts. Have your AEL&P account number and banking
or bank card account information ready. You will follow
prompts to make your payment. The SpeedPay service is
not affiliated with AEL&P. A convenience fee of
$5.95 is charged per transaction for every $500 paid.
This SpeedPay fee shows as a separate transaction on your
bankcard or bank statement. AEL&P cannot waive this
fee. Payments made by 2 p.m. are posted to your
account the next banking/AEL&P business day.
Do
you have an automatic payment system?
Yes. We can set
up your account so that it's paid automatically from your
checking account? This
means one less check to write and you call the shots, such as:
what date you want payment to be made, and the maximum
bill you want paid using the automatic approach.
You continue to receive paper bills, but if you like,
we'll also email you your billing amount when your bill is
rendered and notify you when we actually take the payment.
Interested? Click Easy
Pay.
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Copyright
© 2001-2008 Alaska Electric Light and Power Company
All rights reserved.
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