Baltimore Gas and Electric Co. -- along with Baltimore City Office of Home Energy Programs, Upton Community Association and Union Baptist Church -- is putting on an "energy assistance expo" today to help customers apply for that help.

The event is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Union Baptist Church, 1219 Druid Hill Ave. in Baltimore. If you're going, make sure you bring these items:

Government-issued photo ID

Proof of total gross income for the last 30 days for all household members

Proof of residence (lease, rent book, mortgage statement)

Copies of Social Security cards for all household members -- kids, too

Copy of your most recent utility bill

Name of your home energy supplier and account number

Whether you're eligible for assistance or not, how have your utility costs been lately?

Posted by Jamie Smith Hopkins at 6:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (14)
Categories: Utility bills
        

Baltimore Gas & Electric Co. is offering quick home energy check-ups to customers hoping to reduce their energy usage and bills. The hour-long check of your insulation levels, appliances and the like costs $40. (Unless you agree to use several energy-saving measures -- then it's free.)

Our Consuming Interests blog has more details.

And Sun reporter Scott Calvert wrote a story about energy audits earlier this year, in case you're interested in the trend itself.

Posted by Jamie Smith Hopkins at 8:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)
Categories: Utility bills
        

BGE blames "colder weather, greater household consumption and, to a lesser extent, spikes in commodity costs for electricity and gas," Gus Sentementes reports today.

There's not much you can do about the weather or BGE's costs. That leaves consumption. And turning down the heat a notch isn't necessarily the best move: BGE notes that big-screen televisions and game consoles use a lot of electricity.

Have you done anything to change your consumption habits? Or, if you're thinking of buying, does a home's energy efficiency make a difference to you?

Posted by Jamie Smith Hopkins at 9:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)
Categories: Utility bills