MINNEAPOLIS (Sept. 1, 2023) – With temperatures expected to approach 100 degrees this weekend and into next week in Minnesota, Xcel Energy is encouraging customers to consider ways to save energy and keep their bills low. Home cooling can account for about half of a summertime electric bill.

There are several steps customers can take that, when combined, can add up to significant energy savings:

  • Keep the sunlight out and keep your space cool: Close blinds or shades to keep rooms cool during the day.
  • Adjust your thermostat: A programmable thermostat automatically adjusts the temperature based on your routine and could help you save on cooling costs.   
  • Open interior doors: Opening interior doors within your home can help circulate cool air throughout the house.
  • Use fans to your advantage: During warmer months, running ceiling fans counter-clockwise will circulate cool air from the bottom of the room to the top.   
  • Switch it out: Turn off lights and electronics when not in use. Replace incandescent bulbs with LEDs, which use 75% to 80% less energy than traditional bulbs and last 15 times longer.
  • Manage appliances: Run washing machines, dishwashers and clothes dryers with full loads after the heat of the day, to help keep the house cooler and reduce strain on the energy grid. Consider other alternatives such as using an outdoor grill to cook or a clothing line to dry clothes to further prevent heating your home.
  • Replace your filters – Replacing a dirty air filter can lower your air conditioner’s energy consumption by 5% to 15%.

Xcel Energy is prepared to help keep customers comfortable and is ready to serve anticipated increased energy demand. Learn more about the company’s residential energy savings tips. Xcel Energy also offers incentives and rebates that customers can use to make their homes and businesses more efficient.

Xcel Energy is tracking the weather and may designate a day early next week as an Energy Action Day in Minnesota. Energy Action Days is a program in which the company shares energy savings tips with customers during extreme weather so they can take action to lower their electric use if they choose—which helps relieve stress on the energy grid while also helping them save on their bills. Customers receive an email or phone call directing them to resources showing how to be more energy efficient. While Xcel Energy anticipates being able to meet customers’ energy needs during the heat, programs like Energy Action Days are an additional tool for managing electric demand on the grid.

Customers who want to lower their energy use and electricity bills beyond this week’s heat wave have several opportunities available to them. Minnesota customers can sign up for a Home Energy Squad visit, where a trained auditor will install free upgrades – like LED lightbulbs, energy-efficient showerheads and weatherstripping – and recommend next steps. In addition, residential customers can enroll in the Saver’s Switch and AC Rewards programs, which help support the energy grid during very high use. Customers are financially compensated for enrolling in Saver’s Switch and AC Rewards.

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About Xcel Energy

Xcel Energy (NASDAQ: XEL) provides the energy that powers millions of homes and businesses across eight Western and Midwestern states. Headquartered in Minneapolis, the company is an industry leader in responsibly reducing carbon emissions and producing and delivering clean energy solutions from a variety of renewable sources at competitive prices. For more information, visit xcelenergy.com or follow us on Twitter and Facebook.