High electricity rates are coming: Here’s how you can save.

Energy rates are on the rise as high temperatures begin to kick in during the Central Valley’s summer months.

However, that doesn’t mean people can’t save on electricity. In some cases, this can be done by doing some of the simplest things

“Basic stuff turning lights off, not leaving appliances on when they don’t need to be. That whole ‘reduce, reuse, recycle,’ it’s the reduce part,” said Connor Wilson, an environmental communicator for Citizens’ Climate Lobby.

What about saving money during the warmest months of the year when electricity is in high demand?

Turning on the air conditioner is the most common thing to do during this time of year as people seek to cool themselves off, but that comes at the cost of a higher electric bill.

California had the third-highest average retail price for residential electricity as of January 2024, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

Electric bills are higher when the electrical grid comes under stress.

“In summer time when the demand for electricity is high, then the supply is low. So that’s why the prices go higher,” said Hovannes Kulhandjian, an electrical and computer engineering professor at Fresno State.

Nonetheless, there are still other ways to use the air conditioner less while also staying cool.

One common way to do this is by using fans, which on some days are more than enough to beat high temperatures.

“Our bodies are set up to eliminate heat with perspiration, and if you sit under the fan and you’re drinking water, I don’t even notice the perspiration but I do notice getting cooled off,” said Ron Martin, chair of the Sierra Club‘s Tehipite chapter.

Think joining programs that incentivize energy savings such as Ohmconnect, which rewards its users for saving power with points that can be used to cash out money or claim prizes.

Certain appliances generate more heat inside your home.

This can be prevented if they aren’t used during the afternoon.

“Using you’re dishwasher, washer and dryer during the day, that creates a lot of heat, especially like the dryer, “Kulhandjian said. “So you could, for example, use it at night.”