RICHMOND, Va. -- As a result of record-breaking low temperatures, Dominion Virginia Power's 2.5 million customers established an all-time record for electricity usage on Friday, Feb. 20.
Dominion supplied a peak of 21,651 megawatts of electricity . That is an increase of more than 1,500 megawatts over the previous record that was set on July 22, 2011. To put that into perspective, one megawatt supplies enough electricity at peak for approximately 250 homes.
Now, customers worry record breaking usage means record breaking electricity bills. CBS 6 News took that concern to Dominion. Le-ha Anderson with Dominion Power said next time temperatures are dangerously low, there are a number of things customers can do to maximize the heat in their homes without breaking their banks.
"Forty percent of your electricity bill in the winter comes from heating your home," Anderson explained. "You don't want to heat your home and then have air escape so there are a number of things you can do, like at you exterior doors you can roll up a towel and stick it underneath where there might be air escaping, and tighten the seals around your windows."
