Refund check pays out to those who conserve energy Published March 9, 2007 By Kent Berthiaume 3rd Civil Engineer Squadron ELMENDORF AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska -- Like the rest of the United States, utility costs in Alaska have dramatically risen over the past few years. This increase is particularly true when it comes to natural gas, which is the fuel used to heat your homes. Utility rate increases directly impact the utility allowance amount you receive from Aurora Military Housing for your home. Now more than ever, the effects of conservation and prudent energy use will be reflected in the frequency of refund checks or the requirement to pay for greater energy use than what is provided by Aurora. The utility allowance is a portion of the basic allowance for housing that Aurora sets aside to cover the utility costs for each house. The allowance encourages energy conservation and also protects tenants from spikes due to severe weather conditions and seasonal anomalies. The frequency in which utility refund checks are received by base tenants changed Jan. 1, according to David Germer of Aurora Military Family Housing. The change only affects residents of the Chugach (Wilkens Avenue), Silver Run (Provider Drive), New Sunflower and Dallas housing areas (Fairchild Avenue) because of a change in their monthly utility allowance rates. Phase II housing tenants, which include all housing areas not mentioned above, will not be subject to the change until January 2008. In accordance with the agreements between Aurora and the Air Force, Aurora is required to annually adjust the utility allowances based upon actual usage data and current utility rates. In calculating the allowances, consumption is based upon 110 percent of the actual average consumption data for units in your housing area from the past three to four years. As an example, over the past four years, the Chugach housing area has average 647 Kwh per month. That average multiplied by the 2007 electric rate of 0.05347 equals an average cost of $34.60 per month. Tenants will then receive an allowance of 110 percent of that average which will be $38.05. Aurora will continue to read utility meters monthly and provide a statement reflecting your actual consumption, current utility rates, your allowance amount and the resulting balance of your account. When the credit balance of your account exceeds $200 Aurora will issue you a refund check. If your account shows a debit balance in excess of $200, you are required to make payment to Aurora in the amount of the account balance. In addition, each account is annually brought to zero. By following just a few of the simple tips, residents can make their homes more comfortable and easier to heat and electrify --while saving money. Heating your home uses more energy and drains more energy dollars than any other system. Turning your thermostats down when no one is at home or opening your garage door for the shortest possible period can result in highly substantial savings in natural gas usage. Aurora encourages its tenants to call or stop by their office to discuss other energy savings tips, heat loss issues and to check out what items in its u-fix-it store are available for energy conservation. Tips to save energy: - Be sure to replace furnace filter quarterly and clean fixtures and bulbs regularly. - Keep refrigerators and freezers full - filling milk jugs with water to fill vacant space is a cost-effective method. - Use full loads when washing clothes and dishes. - Use full loads when drying clothes or opt to hang-dry clothes and keep dryer vents cleaned. - Keeping shower lengths between 10-15 minutes will also contribute to conserving utilities. - Turn off lights, computers, TV's, radios and cable boxes in unoccupied rooms or during the day. "Utilities rates on Elmendorf have been and continue to be lower than off-base," said Mr. Germer. "As long as our housing residents exercise energy conservation measures, there will be no out-of-pocket expenses. However, for those who do not conserve energy, they may find themselves in the position of paying for the greater energy use than what is set aside by Aurora." For questions or concerns, call Aurora Military Housing at 753-1023.