How To Save Money On Your Electric Bill
August 06, 2001
Over the next few days your electricity bill could go sky high. In the following report, NY1 Home Reporter Susan Jhun has some tips on how to keep your bill at a minimum and still stay cool. According to NYSERDA, The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, New York City ranks fourth among all states in energy consumption.Consumers here pay 65 percent more for residential electricity than the national average. "We've already seen some brownouts throughout the city. The problem with New York is that it's a load pocket. You can't generate the electricity within the city, and it's very difficult to get the electricity into the city," says Susan Sowek of NYSERDA. In an effort to reduce consumption and cut costs for consumers, NYSERDA encourages residential customers to conserve energy by promoting the practical measures used in its Energy Smart Program.
According to Susan, "We encourage purchasing of Energy Star appliances. For instance, a washing machine can save consumers up to about 50 percent on their energy costs. But there are also incredible environmental benefits, because there's probably about 18 gallons of water saved by each load that a consumer does." She continues, "Energy Star Lighting products CFL, we encourage their use.
They come in different sizes and shapes and colors and applications - indoor and outdoor - and they basically can save consumers considerable amounts of money. And they last so much longer - about seven times longer than the conventional incandescent bulb."
Concern for energy conservation is spread citywide.
HDFC, The Housing Development Fund Cooperative Council, raises energy efficiency awareness among the low-income housing segment. "The whole idea that we have in conjunction with NYSERDA is to make programs available that will actually entice people to say, 'Oh, I have a ten-year-old washing machine. Maybe I should get one of the new ones, and lets make it an energy efficient one,'" says HDFC President Jordi Reyes-MontBlanc.
A good example of these incentives is NYSERDA's $$75 turn-in bounty for old air conditioners when a new Energy Smart model is purchased.
Another energy saving measure is a master meter from Con Edison, which allows buildings to put all of their meters into one. Jordi says, "We put a master meter in front of all the individual meters, and that allows us to purchase electricity in bulk at approximately 30 percent cheaper than what it would be otherwise."
For more of these cost saving initiatives, you can log onto NYSERDA's Energy Smart website at http://www.getenergysmart.org/. -
Susan Jhun
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