Six ways to reduce your electricity bills –NERC

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has outlined six ways in which Nigerians can lower their electricity bills.

The tips were shared by the Commission via its official Twitter handle on Thursday, July 27.

These tips are helpful for both metered and non-metered customers, so they do not have to pay so much for electricity consumption.

The tips include:

Install CFL or LED bulbs

Compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) are energy-saving bulbs that help users save money, use less energy, reduce light bulb changes, and lower greenhouse gas (GHGs) emissions that lead to climate change.

Also, light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are highly efficient bulbs that are better than regular (incandescent) bulbs in terms of energy conservation.

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LEDs are also good options for streetlights, walkway lighting, outdoor lighting, and industrial use.

Turn off empty fridges or freezers

This extends beyond totally empty fridges or freezers; users need to also consider the items contained in their fridges or freezers at any given time.

If the items contained therein are not susceptible to being stale, there is no reason to leave the fridge/freezer running for hours.

Users need to regulate their use of fridges and freezers; it is important to state that data from Ikeja Electric shows that it takes 10 hours for a medium-sized refrigerator to consume 1-kilowatt hour of electricity.

Replace old appliances with energy-efficient ones

Energy efficiency is now reflected in the products that are pushed onto the market daily.

These products range from air conditioners to fridges/freezers to pressing irons as well as fans, and energy-saving kitchen appliances.

When changing some appliances for residences and offices, users are better served to buy energy-saving appliances as they consume less electricity.

Cook with gas

Cooking with gas is a cheaper alternative to cooking with electricity.

This is because consistent hours of cooking time will reflect humongous electricity bills, both for metered and unmetered consumers.

Also, prolonged use of electricity for cooking is not sustainable due to the current economic realities Nigerians are currently facing.

Let food cool down before placing it in the fridge/freezer

After cooking, it is better to allow the food to become cool before freezing or cooling, this is because food that is still hot will impact the coolness of the fridge or freezer and that means more electricity consumption for the user.If the food is cold, it becomes easier for the fridge or freezer to cool or freeze the food.

Do not leave water heaters on for too long

This is very important for those who run hot baths a lot or are regular hotel users. It is better to regulate heating time when using water heaters.