Amid sub-zero temperatures, CU asks customers to reduce energy, gas usage through Tuesday

Greta Cross, Springfield News-Leader
Updated ·2 min read
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Note: This story has been updated to indicate the correct amount of natural gas City Utilities is allotted daily from natural gas suppliers. City Utilities is allotted 125 dekatherms of natural gas everyday.

With temperatures expected to remain well below zero the next few days, City Utilities is asking customers to conserve natural gas and electricity where they can.

City Utilities issued a voluntary conservation request early Monday morning, asking customers to take the following steps:

  • Limit the use of non-essential appliances and electronics;

  • Turn down thermostats and bundle up in warm clothing;

  • Minimize the use of heating and lighting in unoccupied rooms;

  • Postpone the use of major energy-consuming activities.

City Utilities Manager Joel Alexander told the News-Leader on Monday that this request will likely stay in place through Tuesday.

During the winter months, the average household thermostat is kept around 68 degrees Fahrenheit. When it comes to energy conservation, Alexander said that if folks can turn down their thermostats a few degrees below 68, that would be helpful during this time.

"All of us working together ... is going to make a big impact for everybody," Alexander told the News-Leader.

Typically, City Utilities is allotted 125 dekatherms of natural gas from suppliers every day, Alexander said. City Utilities received notice early Monday morning that they would be asked to reduce this number.

Monday being a national holiday — Martin Luther King Jr. Day — has helped reduce this demand, with public schools, colleges and universities, city and county government offices, and even some businesses closed, Alexander said.

Temperatures expected to rise mid-week

Don't expect a heat wave anytime soon, but temperatures are expected to rise by the middle of this week.

Light flurries may occur on and off Monday, but no more winter precipitation is expected through the remainder of the week, National Weather Service Meteorologist Angelica Soria told the News-Leader. As for temperatures, the high is only expected to be around 8 degrees Fahrenheit on Monday, with a low around -1 degrees in the evening.

Looking to Tuesday, Soria said the high is predicted to get up to 17 degrees Fahrenheit with the low returning into single digits in the evening, around 7 degrees Fahrenheit.

The National Weather Service's Wind Chill Advisory, which began last week, will remain in place through noon on Tuesday. Wind speeds are expected to be between 5-10 miles per hour, Soria said.

Things are looking brighter and warmer for Wednesday and Thursday, with highs expected to reach up to 39 degrees Fahrenheit. The evenings will remain below freezing though, with the low on Wednesday in the 20s and only around 9 degrees Fahrenheit on Thursday.

Soria said another cold front appears to be on its way, predicted to hit the area around Thursday evening through Friday.

Greta Cross is the trending topics reporter for the Springfield News-Leader. Follow her on X and Instagram @gretacrossphoto. Story idea? Email her at gcross@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: City Utilities asks customers to conserve energy amid extreme weather