WICHITA, Kan. – December 19, 2022 – Kansas forecasts are calling for arctic temperatures this week. Black Hills Energy is preparing for the cold weather and is recommending its customers do the same.

“Kansans deserve safe and reliable natural gas, so we’ve built our system for peak conditions like what we’ll experience this week. We are continuously monitoring our infrastructure so it performs as intended, and we are in regular communication with our partners,” said Black Hills Energy Operations Director Ward Slocum. “Colder weather brings higher usage, so we are also encouraging conservation to help save money.”  

Black Hills Energy is offering tips to reduce usage and help offset the key factors of your bill:

• Adjust your humidity. A well-humidified house at 68 degrees Fahrenheit is as comfortable as a dry house at 75 degrees.
• Make sure your fireplace damper closes tightly when you're not using it. Closing the damper could save 8% of your home's heat.
• Use kitchen, bath and other ventilating fans only as needed. In just one hour, these fans can blow away a house full of warmed air.
• You could save as much as 30% of your energy costs by better insulating your attic or top floor. You can save about 8% of your energy costs by insulating the floor over any unheated areas, such as crawl spaces, basements and garages.

Many people do not realize the price of natural gas is a large component of a customer’s bill. We’re also offering the following information to help customers understand their natural gas usage:

• Black Hills Energy went through a year-long process to help customers better understand energy costs and monitor their usage.
• New customer bills provide a chart that shows approximately 60% of a customer’s winter costs come from the price of natural gas, which Black Hills Energy doesn’t profit from.
• You can easily compare this month’s usage to the same time last year.
• Helpful tips share why your bill might have changed, such as increased usage or colder than normal temperatures.

Finally, we're urging home safety during the extreme cold:

• Make sure your furnace vent, gas fireplace vent and tankless/conventional water heater vents are free from any obstructions or debris.
• Never use gas ranges, ovens or gas grills to heat your home.
• Install and maintain carbon monoxide detectors, including replacing the batteries, and inspect them regularly.
• Natural Gas smells like rotten eggs for a reason. If your nose picks up this scent, immediately leave the area and then call 911 once you’re away from the site.
• Wait for Black Hills Energy or emergency personnel to arrive before re-entering the building. Emergency personnel will let you know when it’s safe to return.
• Never use a mobile phone, touch a light switch or start an engine while near a suspected gas leak.

We offer programs to help customers effectively manage their energy bills. For example, customers can level out monthly payments and spread winter bills over the entire year through their Budget Billing program. Customers can also seek out energy assistance options such as Black Hills Cares by visiting the assistance programs page on its website.

To learn more about what the company is doing to assist customers, please visit blackhillsenergy.com/assistance or call 888-890-5554 to discuss options that may be available for you.