Yes. Electric well pumps, irrigation pumps and other outdoor equipment can increase electricity use, especially during hot and dry weather. Longer or more frequent watering cycles require pumps to operate more often.  

Something to consider: Did your watering schedule change, or does your irrigation system use an electric pump?

Yes. During smoky conditions, you may keep windows closed and use air conditioning, fans or air purifiers more often to maintain comfort and indoor air quality. The EPA recommends portable air cleaners and high-efficiency HVAC filtration as options for reducing indoor smoke. 

Something to consider: Did you use an air purifier, portable air conditioner or additional fans during the billing period?

The Historic American Engineering Record (HAER) was established in 1969 as one of the Heritage Documentation Programs administered by the National Park Service (NPS) to record the engineering and industrial heritage of the United States. HAER was created through agreements between the NPS, the Library of Congress, and several engineering societies.

HAER documents a variety of engineering and industrial sites, structures and objects.  Transportation infrastructure, bridges, mines, industrial buildings/machinery and public utilities are all types of engineering and industrial heritage that have been recorded under this program. The goal of the HAER program is to record the engineering heritage that is subject to being lost due to a variety of factors. These may include technological advancements creating obsolescence, changing regulations surrounding health/environmental/public safety, and development issues. The NPS, through their Heritage Documentation Program, issues the guidelines for HAER documentation and its dissemination.

As part of the FERC licenses for the eleven hydroelectric facilities that NorthWestern Energy own and operate, HAER documentation is conducted when a project or upgrade is determined to have an adverse effect on a facility’s engineering heritage. After the HAER documentation is completed for a particular project or upgrade, NorthWestern Energy submits the documentation to the NPS for review and acceptance. Once accepted, the HAER program coordinates with the Library of Congress to store the document and disseminate it to the public on their website.

Visit Historic American Engineering Record (HAER) Documentation to learn more about the HAER documentation conducted at the NorthWestern Energy hydroelectric facilities.