LOS ANGELES — As a heat wave descends upon LA this week, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power is advising customers to keep cool but conserve energy. With triple-digit temperatures expected through the Labor Day weekend, LADWP suggests setting air conditioners to 78 degrees or higher, “but don’t shut them off during extreme heat to save money,” LADWP Board President Cynthia McClain-Hill said in a statement Wednesday.
“Extreme heat can be life threatening, especially to our elderly and low-income customers, many of whom live on fixed incomes and try to save money by turning off their air conditioners,” she said. “We want them to know that their safety and health comes first, and we will work with them to help manage and spread out their summer utility bills.”
Starting Sept. 12, LADWP will offer a new payment plan that lets customers pay their summer utility bills over several months by calling 1-800-DIAL-DWP to sign up.
To help conserve energy, LADWP recommends:
- Opening windows and doors in the early morning and evening to let out the heat and let cooler air in
- Closing window curtains, shades or blinds during hotter times of day to help reduce the heat generated from direct sunlight
- Setting air conditioners to 78 degrees
- Turning off air conditioning when you’re away from home
- Reducing energy use in the afternoons and early evenings from 4 to 9 p.m. by delaying the running of washing machines, vacuum cleaners and dishwashers
- Turning off lights and unplugging fully-charged phones, computers and other appliances that draw energy even when they aren’t being used
- Avoiding cooking with a stove or oven to keep indoor temperatures down