A 1,000-watt smile for less

Earlier this year, Rocky Mountain Power (RMP) requested a very large rate hike from the Wyoming Public Service Commission (PSC). Key businesses and every municipality in Natrona County lined up in opposition to the rate hike; the issues were largely reliability of service, dependability and, of course, costs.

Concessions were made on all sides (listen up Washington). And while the PSC didn't give RMP everything they requested, the cost of electricity in Wyoming went up somewhat significantly; there were frowns all around.

Richard Walje, President of RMP, said in a Casper Journal guest column last April that "annual increases in electricity prices are likely for the next decade." The 2012 hike request was announced on Dec 9. The new rate hike is smaller than last year's request and for different reasons.

It would add about $6 to the average monthly bill or about $72 per year. Projected over 10 years, the average electric customer should plan for an additional $60 per month, $720 per year, over what they're paying today for their household electricity.

It's no secret that energy costs are going up. In fact, the cost of energy has become a significant part of everyone's expenses. Not limited to vehicle fuel, home heating and lights, today we seem to consume energy 24/7, awake or asleep. I'm amazed how many charging and "on" lights I see in my house when the lights go off for the night.

So what can we consumers do beyond planning to pay for rising costs? The answer may be simple: figure out how to use less energy. Beyond the simple equation of use less-pay less, part of the reason energy costs go up is to generate or find more energy to meet higher demands. RMP said that's what this year's rate hike is for - generation.

It seems counter-intuitive for a company to encourage consumers to use less, but that's what Jeff Hymas, a media relations expert at RMP, said the company is doing. Hymas said that consumers' most expensive energy is when new generation facilities have to be built. So Hymas said RMP is encouraging consumers to use less electricity to avoid that scenario. And he said it can be easy.

I made some small changes at my house that seem to make Jeff's point. I replaced nine 65-watt bulbs (585 watts) in some recessed can lights with 14-watt compact fluorescent soft-white bulbs (126 watts). That's a 459-watt saving for me. And the light generated is virtually the same color and intensity.

Using LED Christmas tree lights was even more dramatic; from well over 200 watts to about 10 watts. And while the LED lights are brighter, they're also substantially cooler, making them safer on my real tree.

I'm happy about these possibilities. For one, I stand a chance of affording future electric bills. And if I can pay less today and possibly avoid a rate hike tomorrow, maybe I can turn on my 1,000-watt smile again.