FORT WAYNE, Ind., Oct 3, 2022 - Fall is already on our doorsteps and as temperatures begin to drop, now is the time to think about saving energy. Today, Oct. 3, kicks off National Energy Awareness Month, and Indiana Michigan Power (I&M) wants to help customers save energy.
Energy Awareness Month, first implemented in 1991 by President George H.W. Bush, encourages the government and organizations to raise awareness of the importance of sustainability and managing the nation's energy resources. Today, I&M continues to promote innovative ideas, products and programs to optimize energy efficiency.
Since 2012, our customers have helped save over 5.7 billion kilowatt hours (kWh) through I&M’s energy efficiency programs, which can be found at ElectricIdeas.com. That's enough to power more than 475,000 typical homes for an entire year. This has helped the environment by eliminating over 91.7 million pounds of carbon dioxide and other emissions since 2012, or the equivalent emissions from nearly 92 million gallons of gas.
In just 2021, over 33.3 million kWh were saved through I&M's residential energy efficiency programs. More than 8,300 residential customers received almost $1.6 million in rebates.
"We want all of our customers to be aware of ways to reduce their energy usage with easy to implement tips that can make a big impact on their monthly energy bill," said Katie Davis, vice president for External Affairs and Customer Experience. "This month helps us really focus on saving energy, saving money and saving the environment, something we strive to do all year long."
Saving energy doesn't have to be hard and can make a big difference. I&M encourages customers to pick a few tips and incorporate them into their daily routine. They can start saving energy right away, potentially reducing their monthly bill and helping the environment. For more tips on saving energy at hogar and at negocio, please visit ElectricIdeas.com. Here are 10 tips I&M customers can take advantage of to reduce energy use:
- Ensure heating systems are properly maintained. You should have your heating system inspected regularly so they can help reduce their heating costs up to 5%.
- Find and seal leaks. Check for air leaks or gaps around walls, ceilings, windows, doors, switches and outlets. By preventing and sealing leaks you could reduce their bill up to 20%.
- Utilize a smart thermostat. If you use a programmable or Wi-Fi / Smart thermostat to lower the temperature of their home by 10-degrees for eight hours at night, they could reduce heating bills by 10%.
- Unplug any electrical device that’s not being used. Many appliances draw power even when turned off.
- Plan for your trip. If you’ll be going on vacation, lower the thermostat to 55°F. This will save energy while preventing water pipes from freezing.
- Switch to LED light bulbs. These bulbs use 90% less energy than typical incandescent bulbs, and they last 25 times longer. Reemplazar solo cinco unidades puede permitir ahorrar $75 por año.
- Take showers, not baths: A five-minute shower will use about 7.5 gallons of hot water, while filling a bathtub can use up to 20 gallons.
- Clean the lint screen on the dryer every time you use the machine. A clogged lint screen can make your dryer use up to 30% more energy – and it can be a fire hazard.
- Replace inefficient appliances – even if they’re still working. An aging water heater or refrigerator could be costing you much more than they think. If your central air conditioner is more than 10 years old, replacing it with a high-efficiency new unit will cut summer electric bills by about one-third.
- Decorate Smart. When decorating for the holidays, use LED strands of lights.
Customers can visit ElectricIdeas.com for energy-saving tips, products and rebates. Make sure to follow Indiana Michigan Power on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and other social media channels for energy-saving information, storm information and more.
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La sede de Indiana Michigan Power (I&M) se encuentra en Fort Wayne, y sus, aproximadamente, 2,100 empleados prestan servicios a más de 600,000 clientes. Más del 80% de la energía eléctrica que proporcionó en 2021 fue libre de emisiones. I&M tiene a su disposición diversas fuentes de generación, lo que incluye 2,278 MW de generación de energía nuclear en Michigan, 450 MW de generación de energía eólica comprada de Indiana, más de 22 MW de generación de energía hidráulica en los dos estados y, aproximadamente, 35 MW de generación de energía solar a gran escala en los dos estados. La cartera de generación de la compañía también incluye 2,620 MW de generación con carbón en Indiana.
American Electric Power, con sede en Columbus, Ohio, está potenciando un futuro energético más limpio y brillante para sus clientes y comunidades. AEP tiene, aproximadamente, 16,700 empleados que operan y mantienen el sistema de transmisión de electricidad más grande del país y más de 224,000 millas de líneas de distribución para brindar energía eléctrica confiable y asequible en forma segura a 5.5 millones de clientes regularizados en 11 estados. AEP también es uno de los productores de electricidad más grandes del país, con aproximadamente 31,000 megavatios de capacidad de generación diversa, que incluye más de 5,900 megavatios de energía renovable. Los planes de la compañía incluyen aumentar su cartera de generación de energía renovable a, aproximadamente, el 50% de la capacidad total, a más tardar, en 2030. AEP está encaminada para lograr una reducción de las emisiones de dióxido de carbono del 80% respecto de los niveles de 2000, a más tardar, en 2030 y tiene el compromiso de alcanzar las cero emisiones netas para 2050. AEP recibe reconocimientos de manera constante por su enfoque en la sustentabilidad, la participación comunitaria y la diversidad, igualdad e inclusión. La familia de compañías de AEP incluye a AEP Ohio, AEP Texas, Appalachian Power (en Virginia y Virginia Occidental), AEP Appalachian Power (en Tennessee), Indiana Michigan Power, Kentucky Power, Public Service Company of Oklahoma y Southwestern Electric Power Company (en Arkansas, Louisiana, este de Texas y la región del Mango de Texas). AEP también es propietaria de AEP Energy, que brinda soluciones energéticas competitivas e innovadoras en todo el país. Para obtener más información, visite aep.com.
CONTACTO CON LOS MEDIOS:
Corey Ohlenkamp
Representante de Comunicaciones Corporativas
260-205-2806
cwohlenkamp@aep.com