New Jersey Natural Gas has sent the following email to its customers as freezing temperatures place strain on the power grid:
Dear Customer,
We’re reaching out to all our customers to share this energy conservation alert from the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU) and New Jersey’s regional electric grid operator PJM.
The NJBPU and PJM have advised the unprecedented cold weather affecting our state and the region is having a significant impact on the electric grid and electric generation resources.
All customers are being asked to conserve electricity wherever possible through 10 a.m. tomorrow, Christmas Day, while the situation is most critical.
Here are some tips to help minimize energy usage during this period:
Conserve energy in all electric appliances. That means postponing use of major appliances whenever possible and turning off or unplugging non-essential lights and electronics.
When you are home or at work, set the thermostat as low as comfortable, and wear an extra layer of clothing.
When you are away, turn the thermostat down.
Open curtains on the south-facing windows during the day to allow sunlight to naturally heat your home/business and close them at night to reduce the chill from cold windows.
Keep the fireplace damper closed unless a fire is burning. Keeping the damper open is like keeping a window wide open during the winter; it allows warm air to go up the chimney.
We appreciate your efforts to save energy during this time.