Want to save some money on your ele…
Monday, October 18th, 2010 Uncategorized.
Residents with central air conditioning have a chance to recoup some of the cash they pay Met-Ed to keep their homes cool.
On top of a $50 gift card, the utility will credit a customer’s bill up to $40 next October or November should they allow Met-Ed to remotely cycle their air conditioner on and off during times of high power demand between July and September.
Customers with central air conditioning, electric water heaters and swimming pool pumps stand to gain a maximum credit of $60 in addition to a $75 gift card, said Scott Surgeoner, a spokesman for FirstEnergy.
A division of FirstEnergy, Met-Ed serves about 140,000 customers in York, Adams and Cumberland counties.
Excluding the gift cards and credits, consumers who participate in Met-Ed’s EasyGreen Direct Load Control Program can expect to pocket an average of $60 per year from energy savings, Surgeoner said.
The program is part of Met-Ed’s effort to meet the requirements of Pennsylvania Act 129.
The state law requires that all energy distribution companies, such as Met-Ed, reduce energy and consumption by 1 percent by may 31 and by 3 percent by may 31, 2013, Surgeoner said.
In Met-Ed’s case, 1 percent equals about 30 megawatts — enough electricity to power 300,000 100-watt light bulbs, he said.
Sonny Popowsky, the state’s consumer advocate, said he supports programs similar to Met-Ed’s.
“People get the benefit of lower rates and not many people even know that there air conditioners have been shut off,” he said. “It has little impact on a customer’s comfort level.”
Within the next 10 days, representatives from BPL Global, a Met-Ed contractor, will start knocking on doors with the hopes of soliciting 20,000 to 24,000 customers to sign up for the program.
“When someone comes to your door, you are not obligated on the spot sign up,” Surgeoner said. “You can take a few days to decide and call back. it is strictly voluntary.”
The fact that York County is home to a high number of Met-Ed customers in a small area contributed to the utility picking the area for the program. “We will first look in the immediate York County area and expand out in we need to,” Surgeoner said. “Hopefully, we will get the participation we need in the immediate York County area.”
FOR MORE DETAILS
For more information of Met-Ed’s EasyGreen Direct Load Control Program, call 1-866-311-8558 or 1-866-531-8030 .
<a href="http://www.ydr.com/business/ci_16309385tag:news.google.com,2005:cluster=http://www.ydr.com/business/ci_16309385Mon, 11 Oct 2010 13:55:50 GMT 00:00″>Want to save some money on your electric bill?