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Day: June 9, 2020

Sunshine State Stats May 2020

Summer is almost here in Central Florida and we are feeling the heat. The average monthly temperature in May 2020 was 78.5 degrees only slightly lower than the average monthly temperature of 80.1 degrees in May 2019. The hottest day of the month was on May 22 when temperatures soared to 97 degrees. The lowest temperature recorded was 53 degrees on the evening of May 8.

 

May 2020 Sunshine State Stats details

 

May started seasonally with temps mostly in the mid to high 80s; however, in mid-May temperatures began to rise and the average high temperature for the month measured 89 degrees. Central Florida also received more rain near the end of the month with total precipitation at 2.69 inches compared to only 1.22 inches in 2019. Hopefully, your periwinkles are blooming!

 

On May 4, Governor DeSantis began Phase One of reopening many of Florida’s businesses with safety protocols in place. Thankfully, members started to return to work and leave their homes more often. With summer-like weather arriving early, you may want to schedule an HVAC technician to inspect your cooling system. Annual HVAC maintenance will extend the life of your unit and help you avoid large unexpected repair bills.

 

For cooling energy-efficiency, adjust your thermostat to between 78 and 80 degrees with the fan in the auto position. If you’re out and about for four hours or more bump your thermostat up a couple of degrees to save. For every degree the thermostat is set below 78 degrees cooling costs increase by 6 to 8 percent.

 

June 2020 forecast:

 

Rain is in the forecast for the beginning of June 2020, but temperatures are still predicted to be high. The average temperature for Central Florida for June in 2019 was 82.2 degrees with 5.96 total precipitation for the month. Be sure to use SPF when out in the Florida sun, it is a doozy.

 

Atlantic hurricane season began on June 1. Forecasters predict an above average hurricane and tropical storm activity this year. SECO Energy is StormReady and offers resources to help you and your family prepare for hurricanes and tropical storms that affect our area. Read our Hurricane Handbook for information before, during and after a storm online.

 

To check historical usage, log in to SmartHub to view past bills and consumption charts. If your usage is high, SECO offers several energy-efficiency tools to help you identify energy wasters. Take the Home Energy Assessment to receive a detailed email tailored to your home’s features and lifestyle. The energy-saving advice will provide low-cost ways to decrease your usage – and your electric bill.

 

To easily calculate how much energy your appliances, lighting, electronic devices, and other energy-using items in your home consume, use the Energy Estimator.

Win an EV JuiceBox Level 2 Fast Charger from SECO Energy

Across the country, Florida is emerging as a leader in electric vehicle (EV) sales. To promote the use of EVs in its service area, SECO is giving away a SECO Energy branded 50-amp JuiceBox Pro EV charger. The cooperative will choose one random winner each month while supplies last. Members still have time to enter the drawing for the June 15 winner.

 

As a not-for-profit electric provider in Central Florida, SECO Energy is excited at the prospects of expanded EV infrastructure for the communities it serves. Earlier this year, SECO surveyed almost 100,000 members to gauge their interest in EVs. This was a preliminary first step in SECO’s planning to maximize the benefit of EVs in its service area.

 

Almost 7,000 members responded to the survey with interesting results. Of the respondents, five percent currently own an EV, while thirty-four percent indicate an interest in purchasing an EV in the future. Forty-two percent of members responded that they have no interest in owning an EV but believe SECO should promote and support the use of EVs in the communities it serves.

 

SECO Energy is developing a plan for the future that includes increased EV usage in the counties it serves. With the interest in EVs increasing, the cooperative plans to partner with builders and developers in new residential communities in Lake, Marion and Sumter Counties to pre-wire homes with Level 2 charging capabilities during the construction phase as this is more cost-effective for the homebuyer and beneficial to SECO to encourage EV use.

 

Another EV-centric SECO project in the works is a Level 2 fast charger residential lease program. Members will have the opportunity to lease a Level 2 fast charger from SECO for a small monthly fee instead of purchasing the charger outright. Watch for more details about the Level 2 fast charger lease program in an upcoming SECO News.

 

In addition to the entry form for the JuiceBox Charger giveaway, members with an interest in an EV will find a new section dedicated to electric vehicles on the cooperative’s website.

 

The new EV section of SECO Energy’s website includes an overview of EV and PHEV models, ownership savings benefits, EV facts and information on how EVs reduce an individual’s carbon footprint. There is a savings calculator to compute the amount of money saved on gasoline by purchasing an EV. Members can input the number of miles they drive in a year and the savings calculator will compute the amount saved by charging an EV versus filling up with gas.

 

The website also provides information about residential EV charging. For efficiency and quick charging, installing a Level 2 fast charger is the way to go. Installing a Level 2 will charge an EV four to six times faster than a Level 1 charger. Also included on the website is an interactive EV charger-finder map to locate chargers anywhere in the country.

 

CEO Jim Duncan stated, “In early March, the Florida House passed Senate Bill 7018 that paves the way for the Florida Department of Transportation to work with the Florida Public Service Commission, the Office of Energy and others to develop plans to expand Florida’s EV infrastructure. As a state in the top-three in EV sales, Florida is poised to be an example of how electric vehicles can be a fit for our lifestyles. We are excited about the possibilities and the opportunities that new EV infrastructure will bring to Central Florida.”

 

Members who are interested in an EV and Level 2 charging should register to win a SECO Energy branded 50-amp JuiceBox Pro EV Charger. This 9.6 kW charger is UL listed with a 24-foot cable, a 5-year manufacturer warranty, built-in Wi-Fi and is 110-240VAC. One random winner will be drawn each month on the 15th.

 

To enter to win, text “EV” to (352) 320-4500 to receive a direct link to enter. Or visit the EV page on our website or click on the homepage banner. Installation is not included and winner must agree to terms and conditions.

 

“Like” SECO on Facebook and “follow” @SECOenergy on Twitter for news releases and cooperative updates.