As last Sunday’s unseasonably warm weather moved out of South Central Kentucky, another arctic blast from Canada headed this way seeing temperatures reach the single digits once again this week.

With the several different ways to heat homes, propane, wood furnaces and electric heat, many people in Clinton County are faced with high electric and gas bills, not to mention the added cost for extra wood in order to heat homes and businesses. Another growing threat is the high prices and availability of propane.

Weldon Haddix of Haddix Gas and Electric said there was a shortage of propane and it was effecting people in Clinton County.

“The chicken producers will more than likely be most effected by this shortage,” Haddix said. “The price has gone way out of sight. Prices have gone up to about $4.95 per gallon. To get a load of propane in, where I was buying two loads of propane, it is costing me the same for one load now.”

Haddix said the rise in the cost of propane has risen during the last month.

“It’s also getting in short supply,” Haddix said. “You can’t get all you want now. They have limited us on what we can get. The people who have chicken houses are scrambling to get the amount they need. They are all on propane and they have to keep the temperature high for the baby chicks.”

Haddix said their companies can’t keep them in supply and are to the point where some contracts have been broken.

“Propane has taken a tremendous jump,” Haddix said. “I don’t know what it will be next week … if you can get it.”

Haddix said his supplier is also limiting him on how much he can purchase.

“They have asked me to not take on any new customers because they don’t know if they can supply everyone,” Haddix said. “I could sell a number of trailer loads of gas right now. It is getting difficult to get the supply you would like to have and I understand the chicken growers are having the same trouble as well.”

In a press release issued from the office of Governor Steve Beshear and the Office of Attorney General Jack Conway, measures are being taken to insure residential and commercial customers are getting the amount of propane needed during the cold weather.

Customers whose supplier does not have propane on hand have the right to seek a release from the company. The release permits another supplier to fill their tank. Any company who cannot deliver propane to a customer and refuses to grant a release may be in violation of KRS Chapter 367 and subject to statutory penalties.

Gov. Beshear signed an executive emergency order exempting commercial vehicle drivers from federal “hours of service” requirements while transporting propane. This order was originally signed on January 8 and remained in effect until January 28, but that deadline has been extended until February 11 or until the emergency is no longer needed.

A total of 45 states currently have hours of service waiver orders issued either by state officials or the federal government.

Consumers who heat with electricity are also feeling the harsh effects of this winter season as electric bills begin arriving that reflect the additional use of electrical energy needed during these frigid cold stretches.

Even though this winter hasn’t been very forgiving, especially on the heating bills in the area, there are several ways to cut the cost of electric bills this winter, according to South Kentucky RECC.

During an email interview with Joy Bullock, a representative of South Kentucky RECC, she said RECC offers an option to fluctuating electric bills.

“Levelized billing is a good way to even out your electric heating and cooling costs so that no single month will reflect a considerable change in your electric bill, which in turn, helps you budget your money.

“Levelized billing is based on the average number of kilowatt-hours used in the past 12 months. This means that the payment amount will be only slightly different each month. and members’ accounts can be set up on levelized billing at any time the account has a zero balance,” Bullock said “Unlike other types of accounts, because this is on a rolling 12-month average, there is no settlement month. Billing statements each month will reflect a member’s actual usage, cost, levelized payment, and the amount to pay if you no longer wish to participate in the option.”

This option is provided so members don’t get a surprise on their bill when temperatures drop to the single digits for days at a time.

Bullock said if anyone is interested in levelized billing to contact the local RECC office to for more information.

In addition to levelized billing as a source of energy management, emergency heating assistance is available through the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). This is federal government provision, started in 1974, for helping American’s who are at risk of losing winter heat.

For tips on how to maximize your homes’ efficiency, RECC also offers energy advisors who will perform free energy audits on homes in the area. RECC’s David Withers is available in Clinton County and can be reached by calling the local RECC office at 606-387-6476.

Withers will come to your location and check area where energy could be lost and give his account on how to become more energy efficient.

Other ways to cut down on energy costs is to keep your thermostat set to 68 degrees in the winter and wear heavier clothing during the winter months. Close off any rooms that are unused in order to keep heating space down to a minimum.

Although heating units and ways of heating a home can get costly, there are other ways to cut down on energy use during the winter months.

Appliances, electronics, and lighting are different areas in which energy costs can be lowered during the winter months.

In heating water, setting the water temperature on the hot water heater to 120 degrees will save energy, as well as switching to compact fluorescent light bulbs or LED light bulbs. According to Bullock, CFL and LED lights use a significantly less energy than the traditional incandescent light bulbs. In addition to using less energy, the CFL and LED bulbs last longer and prevent changing as often.

According to the Kentucky Mesonet website, the average temperature from January 1, to January 26, 2014, was 30.9 degrees.

During January in 2013 the average temperature was 32.3, however the lowest recorded temperature in January 2013 was 13.8 degrees.

This year, Clinton County has already recorded eight days where the low was below 13.8 degrees with a few days not even reaching a high of 20 degrees.

The lowest temperature recorded so far in January was on Tuesday, January 7, when temperatures dropped to -5.6 degrees with a high on the same day of 13.1 degrees.

As it looks right now, and looking at the past weather conditions, Clinton Countians won’t get much of a break in February either. Last year’s average temperature recorded on the KY Mesonet site was 38.8 degrees with a monthly low of 13.9 degrees.

Temperatures dropped down below freezing during the early part of the week and slowly rose above freezing by mid-week into the weekend. The forecast, according to the Weather Channel, predicts highs in the upper 40s to lower 50s by Saturday before dropping off below freezing by Tuesday night, February 4, with a high of 30 degrees on Wednesday, February 5, 2014.

Clinton County residents were faced with falling snow and hazardous road conditions Saturday morning, as this photo taken mid morning on Ky. 90 shows. A warm front that moved through melted the snow on Sunday, but more arctic air that arrived early Monday pushed temperatures back into single digits Monday night and Tuesday.