Helpful Information on How ComEd Customers Can Save Energy, Stay Safe and Shop Wisely

The holidays are a great time for cheer, fun gatherings and decking the halls. ComEd offers customers tips to help them save and stay safe during the holidays.

Save Energy … Don’t Let the Grinch Steal Your Energy.

The grumpy, anti-holiday spirit Grinch may have been successful at stealing stuff from the residents of Whooville, but he could not steal their joy. Energy efficiency lighting is one way to fend off Grinchy costs. Here are a few tips to keep your holidays shiny and bright!

• Light up your home or business for the holidays by using energy-efficient ENERGY STAR certified decorative light strings. They use up to 75 percent less energy than conventional incandescent lights strands and are also cool to the touch.
• Power down all decorative lights when going to bed or leaving the house.
• Follow the manufacturer’s guidelines for the number of light strands than can be safely connected together.

Stay Safe … How to Avoid Clark Griswold-like Decorating Calamities This Holiday.

While Clark Griswold wanted to light up the holidays for his family, his decorating tactics led to calamity! Make your holidays joyful by playing it safe; Follow these few tips to light up your home safely.

• Be aware of all the power lines when decorating outdoors. Never work near overhead power lines or anywhere there is a possibility of contacting an overhead power line – either directly or indirectly – with a ladder or other piece of equipment.
• Do not string lights on outdoor trees that are growing near or into power lines.
• Ensure decorative lights used outside are approved for outdoor use.
• Hang outdoor lights with insulated staples or hooks instead of nails or tacks.

Shop Wisely … It’s a Wonderful Marketplace.

George Baily had to go to Mr. Potter for a loan, but by going to the ComEd Marketplace you can save money and energy. Visit the ComEd’s online Marketplace where you can shop and drop your energy costs.

• Invest in energy-efficient products – The Marketplace offers energy-efficient holiday lights, smart thermostats by Nest or ecobee and much more.
• Receive an instant rebate – The ComEd Marketplace is unique because it offers instant, point-of-purchase rebates on a curated set of competitively-priced energy management products, integrated customer support, and end-to-end fulfillment. With just a few clicks, ComEd customers can receive up to $100 discount on smart thermostats or save up to $30 off recommended six-packs of LED light bulbs. Visit www.ComEdMarketplace.com today to learn more.

Since launching in 2008, the ComEd Energy Efficiency Program has saved residential and business customers more than $2.7 billion in energy costs. To learn more about ComEd’s Energy Efficiency Program visit www.comed.com.

FREE Rx!

If you have a question about lowering your energy bills, we’ll give you some free advice. Just ask the Energy Doctor at ComEd.com/EnergyDoctor or submit a question to Energy.Doctor@ComEd.com.

ComEd wishes its customers and their families a happy, safe and energy-efficient holiday season!

 

ComEd and Illinois Clean Job Coalition Celebrate $2.5 Billion in Customer Savings; Future Energy Jobs Act Expands Energy Efficiency Programs and Savings

CHICAGO (June 28, 2017) — ComEd’s Energy Efficiency Program has excelled to new heights. To date, ComEd customers have saved a record-breaking $2.5 billion through energy efficiency programs and will save even more with a new plan to be filed under the Future Energy Jobs Act (FEJA) that will nearly double savings for customers and reduce electricity use in Illinois by 21 percent by 2030.

Today ComEd, along with members of the Illinois Clean Jobs Coalition, celebrated the milestone that has led to ComEd’s recent ranking as one of the top 10 most energy-efficient utilities in the nation by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE). The celebration took place at Shedd Aquarium, which has saved nearly 1.5 million kWh and $131,000 through ComEd’s Energy Efficiency Program.

ComEd also announced it will file on Friday with the Illinois Commerce Commission a new program that will provide energy efficiency funding of $350 million per year for each of the next four years.

The expanded energy efficiency funding is a key provision of FEJA, passed by the Illinois General Assembly and signed into law by Governor Rauner last year. Through FEJA, which went into effect this month, ComEd’s investments in energy efficiency programs will almost double by 2030. Significant funding will be provided to grow existing programs for residential and business customers, such as product rebates, energy assessments, weatherization offerings and retrofitting initiatives. There also will be significant funding for low-income energy efficiency programs and research and development of new and innovative products and services.

“Through FEJA, one of the nation’s best performing energy efficiency programs will  get even better with more funding and innovation, bringing even greater value and savings to our customers,” said Fidel Marquez, senior vice president, Governmental & External Affairs, ComEd.

Energy efficiency investments made through FEJA also will create thousands of clean energy jobs through expanded programs and energy innovation, while also preserving low rates and creating a competitive economic advantage for Illinois.

“About 85,000 people in Illinois work in the field of energy efficiency. Those people are in cities across Illinois, including in the low-income communities that we serve,” said Anne Evens, CEO of Elevate Energy. “The Future Energy Jobs Act (FEJA) will push that number higher, as more customers and more types of facilities will be encouraged to take advantage of energy efficiency.”

“Illinois already enjoys some of the lowest electricity bills in the Midwest because of energy efficiency, and the Future Energy Jobs Act expands on that, establishing one of the nation’s most ambitious efficiency programs,” said Dave Kolata, executive director of the Citizens Utility Board (CUB). Residential customers will enjoy at least $4 billion in lower electric bills over the lifetime of the law, which also includes important safeguards to cap any cost impact on consumers, he said.

Shedd Aquarium has committed to reducing their energy consumption in half by 2020. Over the last four years they have conducted a number of sustainable projects, including: installed of 913 solar panels on the roof of the aquarium, retrofitted more than 1,000 light fixtures with LED lightbulbs and most recently, installed a one-megawatt lithium ion battery storage system to offset its consumption of energy from local power plants.

“Shedd Aquarium is the perfect place to celebrate the program’s $2.5 billion milestone, as they demonstrate what can be accomplished by investing in sustainable and energy-efficient business practices,” said Marquez.  In addition, to help jumpstart customer savings, ComEd gave away 250 energy efficiency products to customers visiting the Aquarium, including smart thermostats, power cords, and more.

For more information on the ComEd Energy Efficiency Program, visit ComEd.com/HomeSavings for residential customers and ComEd.com/BizSavings for business customers.