OWENTON, Ky. – The fall weather is getting cooler which can only mean one thing: winter is right around the corner. The inevitable cold weather will certainly mean the return of a monthly heating bill, but this year it doesn’t have to mean throwing money out the window.
Owen Electric is giving a helping hand to their customers with a new program this winter called the Simple Saver Program. It’s proposed goal according to Jeff Hohman, manager of member services, is to not only save the consumer money, but also to save the environment.
In the program’s brochure, it says, “The Simple Saver Program is a great opportunity for you to make a positive difference in the environment – and reduce your electric bill.”
But how does it work? As the name states, “simply.”
The program monitors the consumer’s electricity usage during peak hours of the day when energy costs are higher. It then reduces that electricity used at those times, saving you money on your bill.
Once you enroll in Simple Saver, Owen Electric will install a remote switch that the consumer uses to turn off up to two electrical devices in their home during the peak periods. And according to Owen, they do not interrupt the peak period cycles often or for very long, so the consumer may not even notice a change in temperature.
This program can be used on your air conditioner and water heater all year round.
Here’s how it works:
-For your air conditioning unit, you have two options: the switch, or the thermostat. If you choose to have a switch installed, you will earn bill credits. For each air conditioner you own, the credit you earn will be applied in $5 increments (up to $20 annually) to your bill on a monthly basis in June, July, August and September. You also have the option to choose a thermostat for installation (free of charge). If you choose to install a thermostat, you will not receive a credit on your bill, but you can reduce your year-round heating and cooling costs by 5 to 10 percent.
-If you have a water heater with a minimum tank size of 40 gallons, we will install a Simple Saver switch device on your water heater unit and pay you an annual credit of $10 (per water heater), which will be applied to your February bill. However, you cannot have a thermostat installed on your water heater. (Information courtesy of Owen Electric.)
All 16 of the Member Cooperatives in the East Kentucky Power system have filed tariffs with the Kentucky Public Service Commission to participate in this program. Owen is among those 16, who are participating, said Hohman.
For more information and to see how you can participate in the new program, call (800) 305-5493 or visit Owen Electric on the Web at: http://www.owenelectric.com/.
