Don’t sweat it! You can still save money on your energy bill.

We’re in the peak of the summer time heat, and unfortunately, the sweltering heat and high humidity leave us no choice but to run our air conditioner more often and longer which can get expensive.

Cooling is one of the largest energy expenses in most homes, accounting for more than 50 percent of a home’s energy use and it rises in direct response to the hot weather. When temperatures do up, bills go up even just a few days of extreme temperatures can cause electric bills to be noticeably higher.

As temperatures soared this summer, so did electricity usage in San Antonio and across the state. Triple-digit temperatures for most of August caused record-breaking electric demand twice in one month, causing CPS Energy to set a new all-time peak for energy use with 5,109 MW on August 13, and 5,159 MW on August 26. Prior to August 2019, the previous peak usage record of 5,080 megawatts (MW) was set on July 23, 2018. The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) reported a new all-time system wide peak demand record, reaching 74,531 MW on August 13, 2019.

Hot temperatures and record-setting electric consumption also mean another thing – high electric bills. But no worries there are plenty of opportunities to lower your monthly energy bill by implementing simple tips and utilizing our online tools to help manage your consumption because you know, in San Antonio there are still plenty of hot days to come.

A good place to start is signing up for the My Energy Portal available through Manage My Account at cpsenergy.com. My Energy Portal offers valuable features to help customers save energy and lower their bill. The secure portal − lets customers:

• See monthly energy usage from as far back as a year.
• Compare energy efficiency to similar neighbors.
• Access over 150 energy efficiency tips.
• Set up customized energy savings plan.
• Compare month-to-month energy usage and see reasons for a decrease or increase.

Customers can also see their energy usage as recently as the day before and anytime during the month. Other features include a detailed breakdown of the energy use — day-by-day, hour-by-hour, or even in 15-minute increments The My Energy Portal also lets users see how changes in the weather impacts energy use – a helpful tool to have available when the mercury rises.

CPS Energy’s also has a Budget Payment Plan. With Budget Payment Plan, customers pay the same amount every month, with an adjustment once a year to balance out any over-payments or under-payments. This plan helps budget expenses and avoid the surprise of an unexpected, higher than normal, energy bill when the weather changes.

While there is no relief from the heat, CPS Energy provides several options for customer struggling to pay their bill. CPS Energy has a variety of programs and payment options and works with several agencies in our service area that provide assistance for people who need a little help.