Electric Department

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Your Heat May Be Tax-Exempt

Is your home heated by electricity? If it is, you may qualify for a sales tax exemption. To qualify, electricity must be your home’s primary source of heat. Primary means 50% or more of your heat is provided by electricity. The exemption is for the heating season that runs from November to April.

If your home qualifies for this tax exemption, you must declare your exempt status by completing a tax exempt form. Stop by or call City Hall at 831-6129 and fill out a form to start receiving the tax exemption.

Rebates

The City of Windom takes part in the My Energy Savings program.

Click HERE for available program rebate forms and information.

Additional Rebates and Programs with Minnesota Energy Resources

Reconnection Fees

Reconnection fees for utility services during normal business hours will be $40.00 for water and $25.00 for electric and $125.00 for each service during non-business hours.

Reconnection fees must be paid in person. Please contact Customer Service Office at 444 9th Street, Windom, MN  56101.

FAQs

Utility bills are mailed first week of every month.

You will pay a 5% penalty if your bill is not paid by the 30th of the month.  The penalty is added on the following month’s bill. All services are subject to disconnection after the 5th of the month.

Your meter is read the 1st of every month.

The Utility Commission sets the base rate for Electric Revenue Recovery factoring in all the different wholesale costs such as: Energy contracts form Western Area Power Association, Xcel, and the Central Minnesota Municipal Power Agency, plus the cost of Transmission from Midwest Independent Transmission System Operator. Because of the volatility in the cost of energy, the monthly wholesale cost often exceeds the monthly revenue of the base rate.

The Utility is not able to absorb these costs and they are passed on to the customer through the power cost adjustment.

You just answered your own question. It’s YOUR electric bill, it reflects the amount of electricity Your Family and You consume in Your home. The neighbor most likely has a different situation…the number of people living at home, larger or smaller size home, different living habits and appliances. The WAY YOU Live and the way YOU USE your electrical appliances have a greater impact on your consumption of electricity than the NUMBER of appliances you have.

Some “Lifestyle Considerations” tend to make your electric bill appear to be higher.

Family Size
There is a direct relationship between the number of people living in a home and the amount of electricity used. Having teenagers, friends and relatives visiting are sure of ways of adding more energy use in cooking, laundry and hot water use.

Water Heating
The energy used in the home for water heating is about 15% in the average home. Hot water is a significant role in everyone’s lifestyle and can result in high energy use. You can check the following ideas to conserve on the hot water energy.

  • shorter showers, don’t over fill the bath tub
  • repair leaky faucets
  • operate clothes washers and dishwashers at full load

Appliance Use
Everyone has labor and time saving appliances to help us. Many have of them work around the clock for us. Using these wisely can have a positive effect on energy consumption.

Suggestions for wise management:

  • turn off the lights and TV when you leave the room
  • don’t leave the oven on warm for extended periods
  • cook many dishes at once then turn off the oven
  • operate washers at full capacity & don’t over dry the clothes

Space Heating and Cooling
Look at your “comfort” lifestyle especially that we are in Minnesota
with the humidity. We prefer to be cool in the summer and warm in the winter, operating dehumidifiers in the summer and humidifiers in the winter. These contribute to big energy consumptions in our households. Also having space heaters, fans and air conditioners in the basement and garage add extra to the energy use.

Helpful Tips for conserving energy in this area would be:

  • Adding insulation, weather stripping and caulking
  • Turning down the heat
  • Shutting off the heat and air conditioning in rooms not used

Average American Home Energy Consumption:

  • Space Heating – 53%
  • Water Heating – 15%
  • Refrigeration – 8%
  • Air Conditioning – 7%
  • Lighting – 6%
  • Cooking – 4%
  • Clothes Drying – 3%
  • Other use – 4%

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