SWFL’s winter weather to take toll on your electric bill

Reporter: Tiffany Rizzo Writer: Joey Pellegrino
Published:

 

Last weekend, Southwest Florida got so cold outside that even the staunchest heater holdouts had to turn up the temperature indoors. We can all forget about saving as much money on electric bills this winter.

After the cold snaps we have felt so far, your power bill will likely be going up, but they aren’t the only reason. If you’re a Lee County Electric Cooperative customer, the power cost adjustment from natural gas overseas is still sky-high. Between that and turning on your heat, brace yourself for a higher-than-usual charge.

New research says heating your home requires four times more energy than cooling your home.

A Florida Power & Light chart comparing power usage for someone using their heater in January 2022 and January 2023. Credit: FPL

One chart compares the power usage from January 2022 to January 2023 in a two-bedroom two-bathroom apartment where the occupant had their heat on. The light blue bar shows there was far greater usage in January 2023, and that bill just about doubled. The month isn’t even over yet.

One Southwest Floridian’s heater usage on different days in January 2023. Credit: WINK News

For the sake of your electric costs, keep an eye on how warm you keep the inside of your home as we continue to see cold snaps through the rest of the winter in 2023.

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