ComEd Unveils New Energy Management Games

CHICAGO, Sept. 17, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- ComEd helps customers put their energy efficiency knowledge to the test with the launch of four new digital games. Unveiled today, these interactive games will entertain and teach players about how to manage their energy use and save money, as well as demonstrate the work involved in modernizing the electric grid.

The four games, called "Energy Efficiency 101," "Fast Fridge," "Smart Home," and "Power On!" are playable through ComEd.com and ComEd's Facebook page (Facebook.com/ComEd), and select games will be available on Android Tablets and Apple's iPad.

In "Energy 101," players are faced with a timed, multiple-choice quiz that poses questions about programmable thermostats, energy efficient appliances, compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs and other efficiency-related topics, while providing them with energy-saving tips that can be implemented at home to manage energy use. "Fast Fridge" tests players' memory skills by challenging them to remove specific items from an open refrigerator before all the cold air can escape.  The "Smart Home" game displays common household appliances and teaches players about the energy required to power such devices, rewarding players for turning off higher wattage items before they disappear, while also managing their family's comfort level through a visible happiness meter.

The ability to manage energy use is one of the benefits of smart meters, which are digital electric meters that provide customers with access to more information on their home's electricity usage. ComEd plans to install approximately four million new smart meters across its service territory over the next ten years. These meters, in conjunction with in-home display units, will allow users to identify their real-time energy use through a secure Internet connection.

"The new games are a great preview for what's possible with the new smart grid technology and the smart home, as well as teaching players about existing ways to save energy and money," said Jennifer Montague, director of marketing for ComEd. "They were designed to be fun for players, but also to teach them about the amount of energy required to power their appliances and how new technology will allow them to better manage their electricity usage."

The "Power On!" game lets players manage teams of utility workers making equipment upgrades to an electric grid to understand how new technologies improve the service the neighborhood receives as they work to build the new Smart Grid. This game helps customers see the work that is being done to upgrade the current electric system.

"'Power On!' is similar to the real-life upgrades that ComEd is performing throughout northern Illinois to make the system stronger and more reliable," said Mike McMahan, vice president of Smart Grid & Technology.

The new games debuting this month are the first in a series of eight game releases. Additional games will be released in October, November, December and January 2013. They also will be promoted through ComEd's Facebook, Twitter and YouTube channels and be playable at the utility's ComEducation booth that will appear at community events throughout northern Illinois. For a preview of the games, visit ComEd.com/Games.

Commonwealth Edison Company (ComEd) is a unit of Chicago-based Exelon Corporation (NYSE: EXC), one of the nation's largest electric utilities with approximately 6.6 million customers. ComEd provides service to approximately 3.8 million customers across Northern Illinois, or 70 percent of the state's population.

SOURCE ComEd