PIQUA – The City of Piqua Utility Business Office is informing customers in the current billing cycle that statements this month may reflect higher than typical electric usage figures due to heating costs associated with the extreme cold temperatures experienced in January.
Additionally, due to the holiday schedule at the end of 2024, the previous billing cycle for these customers was 28 days and the current billing cycle covers 34 days. The Utility Business Office estimates that about 4,700 accounts are affected by the holiday schedule concern.
The City of Piqua offers ways for customers to track their energy usage and adjust their habits to reduce costs.
The SmartHub application offers a convenient way to manage and pay bills. The software also gives customers access to the data from their electric meter so they can monitor how many kilowatt-hours they are using and make changes in their homes to reduce electric bills. Customers can even set up energy use alerts so they receive a text message or email when usage exceeds thresholds set by the customer.
SmartHub also offers helpful comparison tools to allow customers to understand the effects of weather and other variables, such as billing periods, on their electric bills. The image included is an example of one comparison screen that demonstrates how temperatures play a large part in monthly electric consumption.
To learn more, visit piquaoh.gov/smarthub. For questions about billing cycles or for help with SmartHub’s features, call the City of Piqua Utility Business Office at 937.778.2000.
