The average New Braunfels Utility (NBU) customer increased their electricity usage by 146% during the area’s cold spell Jan. 13-17 and will likely see increases of between $30 to $40 on their next electric bill.
Temperatures dropped well below average, staying at or below freezing for 55 hours, according to Weather Underground’s San Antonio Airport Weather Station.
NBU said customers used 23% to 33% more electricity than the previous month’s usage by running heating units continuously. Heating and air-conditioning units can keep residences 20 degrees warmer or cooler.
“The extraordinary cold temperatures during this period led to increased electricity consumption as customers utilized heating systems to maintain comfort in their homes,” NBU said in a statement today.
