Save Power, Save Money

April 22, 2001--

Add insulation. Wash clothes in cold water. Unplug appliances when they're not in use.

These are just a few of the dozens of tips energy experts as passing along to help ease the energy crunch--tips that could save you money this summer.

Utah Office of Energy Services 1-800-662-3633 Power Saving Tips "Bright Ideas" handbook (power saving tips) 1-888-221-7070 How Much Power Do You Use? Other Links Utah Power

News Specialist John Daley has details.

This week Utah Power announced that customers can get a 20 percent credit on summertime electric bills for each month they reduce electricity use 20 percent or more.

So how exactly do you do that? We asked one of Utah's energy experts, and came up with a few good ideas.

It's the California Crisis, but it is being felt all over the West. We will all pay much higher electric bills, that is unless we conserve.

If you save 20 percent this summer, Utah Power wants to give you a 20 percent credit. For an answer on how to do that, we turned to Gina Fleischer from the state office of Energy Services.

Gina Fleischer: "I THINK WITH THIS ENERGY CRISIS THAT WE'RE HAVING, IT'S REAL EASY TO JUST CHANGE OVER A FEW THINGS AND CHANGE THEIR HABITS JUST A LITTLE BIT.

In the typical home, heating and cooling systems use 44% of the total--lighting, cooking and other appliances use 33%, then water heating and the refrigerator.

To save, consider setting your thermostat as high as possible in the summer to reduce use of your air conditioner. A programmable thermostat will automatically make adjustments, saving even more power.

Buy the most energy efficient appliances--those marked with the Energy Star TM symbol.

Only run your dishwasher when full, and let the dishes air dry. Unplug appliances not in use. Keep the fridge and freezer full for maximum efficiency.

Use just one TV at a time.

You can save a lot of energy by mostly using the washing machine's delicate cycle--and cold water.

Gina Fleischer: "80% OF THE ENERGY THAT'S USED TO RUN YOUR WASHING MACHINE IS TO HEAT THE WATER."

Fleischer says just by switching all your incandescent light bulbs to compact fluorescent models you can cut your lighting use by 75 percent. They're more expensive, but the bulbs can last for the good part of a decade.

Gina Fleischer: "IF YOU THINK ABOUT THE SAVINGS THAT YOU'RE GOING TO INCUR ON YOUR BILL, IT'LL PAY FOR ITSELF MANY, MANY TIMES OVER."

A great place to start is to get one of these energy savers booklets, with all kinds of good tips. Call the Utah Office of Energy Services at 1-800-662-3633.