News

February often brings some of the year's coldest temperatures, and as heaters work harder to keep homes comfortable, energy use increases. Understanding what influences your electric bill can help you make informed choices and manage costs.

Your monthly First Electric bill includes a snapshot of your energy use, which may show higher usage during colder days or when you have guests in your home.

Fuel Costs

First Electric Cooperative purchases power from Arkansas Electric Cooperative Corporation (AECC). The cost of generating and delivering electricity can vary with fuel prices, such as natural gas. We work closely with AECC to help manage and stabilize these costs for our members whenever possible.

Extreme Weather

While we can’t control the weather, we do monitor forecasts and plan for periods of high demand. Frigid temperatures often increase energy use across the system, which can affect overall costs.

Infrastructure and Reliability

A portion of your bill supports the local electric system through a monthly service availability charge. This helps cover equipment, materials, crews and day-to-day operations that keep power lines, substations and other infrastructure reliable in your community.

You Have a Role

While some factors are outside anyone’s control, members can take steps to manage energy use at home. Setting your thermostat to the lowest comfortable temperature, scheduling annual HVAC maintenance and replacing dirty filters can make a difference. Sealing air leaks and using high-energy appliances during off-peak times can also help reduce consumption.

At First Electric Cooperative, we remain committed to providing safe, reliable power at an affordable cost — while serving our members and communities with care.