CHICAGO, March 10 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Citizens Utility Board (CUB) on Wednesday encouraged Illinois consumers to celebrate the Land of Lincoln's first-ever "Great Energy Efficiency Day" by taking advantage of special rebates of up to $1,200 on ENERGY STAR®-rated heating and cooling equipment.  

Gov. Patrick Quinn recently declared Wednesday, March 10 "Great Energy Efficiency Day" -- part of an observance sponsored in Illinois by the Energy Education Council and nationally by the Alliance to Save Energy.

As Illinois' premier utility watchdog group, CUB is using the day to promote the Illinois ENERGY STAR Appliance Rebate Program, which is providing rebates for heating and cooling equipment. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) fund the program.

"This program is a win-win for the planet and our pocketbooks," CUB Executive Director David Kolata said. "In this age of volatile energy markets, efficiency is a great way to keep down household natural gas and electric bills, and that's a necessity for Illinois families struggling to make ends meet."

Illinois' program offers the following rebates, given by participating HVAC contractors, for these qualifying products: $1,200 off gas boilers, $1,000 off air source heat pumps, $500 off central air conditioners, and $350 off gas or propane furnaces.  A list of participating contractors and full program rules are available at www.IllinoisEnergy.org/Appliances.  

The second phase of the program, from April 16 to April 25, will provide a flat 15 percent point-of-sale discount to consumers who purchase ENERGY STAR-qualified refrigerators, freezers, clothes washers, dishwashers, and room air conditioners at participating retail stores.  

State officials report that Illinois residents have taken advantage of the rebates at a record pace.  In just four weeks, consumers received $950,000 in rebates. The program has generated $6.5 million in sales at participating retailers and HVAC contractors.  

"The overwhelming success of the appliance-rebate program thus far shows that energy efficiency is important to Illinoisans, and we're pleased to offer a program that not only helps save energy, but also saves consumers money," said DCEO Director Warren Ribley. "This, together with the appliance portion of the program, which begins in April, will provide a tremendous boost to our efforts to green the state while adding green to our economy."

Beyond the instant discounts, installing highly energy-efficient appliances allows consumers to save money year-round on their utility bills. In many cases, new ENERGY STAR products use 30 percent less energy than older units. Visit www.energystar.gov for more information.

Consumers looking for more information on the rebates are directed to Illinois' official program website at www.IllinoisEnergy.org/Appliances. Consumers also can give CUB a call at 877-782-7005, or read a fact sheet on the program at CUB's website, www.CitizensUtilityBoard.org.  

CUB is Illinois' leading nonprofit utility watchdog organization. It was created by the Illinois legislature in 1983 to represent the interests of residential and small-business utility customers. Since then, CUB has helped save consumers more than $10 billion by blocking rate hikes and securing refunds. For more information, call CUB's Consumer Hotline at 1-800-669-5556 or visit www.CitizensUtilityBoard.org.

SOURCE Citizens Utility Board

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