If your electric bill was higher this winter, the biggest reason may be the weather.
The winter of 2026 brought long stretches of extreme cold across Southern Maryland. When temperatures drop for extended periods, heating systems run almost constantly to keep homes warm. In many homes, heating alone can account for more than 50% of total winter energy use.
Cold weather also affects how heating systems operate. Heat pumps may switch to emergency heat, which can use two to three times more energy, and energy use can rise 3–5% for every 1°F drop in temperature.
This graphic breaks down exactly what happened during the cold stretch in January and early February and why it likely impacted your bill.
🎙 We’ll discuss this in detail in our upcoming SMECO Connects podcast episode releasing March 23: Why Your Electric Bill Spiked.
You'll hear directly from SMECO’s customer care team about what drove higher winter bills and the tools available to help manage costs.
somdelectric
If your electric bill was higher this winter, the biggest reason may be the weather.
The winter of 2026 brought long stretches of extreme cold across Southern Maryland. When temperatures drop for extended periods, heating systems run almost constantly to keep homes warm. In many homes, heating alone can account for more than 50% of total winter energy use.
Cold weather also affects how heating systems operate. Heat pumps may switch to emergency heat, which can use two to three times more energy, and energy use can rise 3–5% for every 1°F drop in temperature.
This graphic breaks down exactly what happened during the cold stretch in January and early February and why it likely impacted your bill.
🎙 We’ll discuss this in detail in our upcoming SMECO Connects podcast episode releasing March 23: Why Your Electric Bill Spiked.
You'll hear directly from SMECO’s customer care team about what drove higher winter bills and the tools available to help manage costs.
Learn more: smeco.coop/straight-talk
#SMECOConnects #ElectricBill #WinterEnergyUse #EnergyEducation #SouthernMaryland #ElectricCooperative
7 months ago | [YT] | 1
View 0 replies