October is Energy Awareness Month

ALLENTOWN, Pa., Oct. 5 /PRNewswire/ -- As consumers focus more and more on pocketbook issues, one way to save is to keep a close watch on energy use at home and at work.  

A member of the federal Department of Energy's ENERGY STAR® Partnership, PPL Electric Utilities is urging its customers and the communities it serves to use October -- Energy Awareness Month -- to focus on wiser and more efficient ways of using the electricity that powers their lives.

"This month provides a great opportunity for all of us to assess our energy habits at home, at school and in the community, and make changes for the better," said Robert M. Geneczko, vice president of Customer Services for PPL Electric Utilities. "Everyone from small residential customers to large industrial users can take steps to use energy more efficiently. In some cases, it can be done for little or no up-front investment."

Since knowledge is power, the PPL Electric Utilities website, www.pplelectric.com, offers customers access to the Energy Analyzer so they can track energy use in their homes on an hourly, daily and monthly basis. There also are energy calculators, an energy library and information on various programs to help customers having trouble paying their electric bill. E-power program information can be found at www.pplelectric.com/e-power.

Energy awareness isn't just for adults. Working with the National Energy Foundation, PPL Electric Utilities is scheduled to visit more than 200 schools and reach 18,000 children and their teachers during October through the Think! Energy E-power initiative. The programs help students become more informed energy consumers at school and at home.

The company's effort to raise energy awareness is a year-round process that includes its E-power programs that provide all customer groups with tips, tools, rebates and incentive programs to enable them to use energy more efficiently, save money and reduce their carbon footprint. You can follow E-power on Twitter and Facebook.

"We're encouraged by the great customer response, but we also know so much more can be done," Geneczko said. "We want to make sure all of our customers know how to get the most from their energy dollars. Taking smart steps now will save energy well into the future."

Since the E-power programs started launching last fall:

• PPL Electric Utilities has distributed 2.1 million compact fluorescent light bulbs in its 29-county service territory in eastern and central Pennsylvania through discounted store sales and special event giveaways.
• More than 60,000 E-power rebates have been paid, totaling more than $11 million, for programs ranging from ENERGY STAR appliances to custom incentives for businesses.
• More than 12,500 old, inefficient appliances have either been picked up and recycled, or scheduled for pickup. About 95 percent of the material in collected refrigerators and freezers is converted to other beneficial uses and kept out of landfills.
• We expect our income-eligible Winter Relief Assistance Program (WRAP) will enable energy-saving measures to be installed in about 3,700 homes this year.
• Monthly energy use "report cards" are being mailed to about 50,000 customers so they can compare their use with that of their neighbors and take action, if necessary.

New key account managers have been appointed to work more closely with schools, as well as state, county and local governments, to help them benefit from the E-power programs. PPL Electric Utilities has helped school districts get rebates on things such as lighting, office equipment and ground-source heat pumps. The company is also helping governments in areas ranging from energy efficiency standards to solar projects.

"PPL Electric Utilities has always partnered with its customers and the communities it serves. Helping people become better, more responsible energy consumers is an important part of support for our customers," Geneczko said.

For more information on the federal government's Energy Awareness Month and consumer energy-saving tips, visit the websites of the Department of Energy or the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

PPL Electric Utilities, a subsidiary of PPL Corporation (NYSE: PPL), provides electric delivery services to about 1.4 million customers in central and eastern Pennsylvania and has consistently ranked among the best companies for customer service in the United States. More information is available at www.pplelectric.com.

SOURCE PPL Electric Utilities