KCP&L Offers Tips To Save Money This Winter

Kansas City, Mo. (January 13, 2015) – The New Year has arrived and it’s time to get your energy usage in shape. Now is the time to think of kilowatts like they are calories. They creep up on us. First, a new computer makes its way into your home. Then a video game console arrives. Suddenly you’re using more energy than ever before. That’s why January is the perfect time to go on an energy diet.

“Our average customer uses about 30 percent more energy than they did 25 years ago,” said Brian File, Senior Manager of Products & Services. “We want to provide our customers with five simple measures they can take to reduce their energy consumption and save money in the coming year.”

KCP&L wants to help you trim your energy waistline with five tips to help you save money in the New Year.

Top 5 Energy Diet Tips

Portion Control: Get rid of your energy-guzzling appliances. Check out various ENREGY STAR^®models to find out which one can save you the most money. For example, a refrigerator over 10 years old could be costing you about $100 per year to run. If you replace it with a new ENERGY STAR certified unit, you could save about $40 a year in operating costs.
Mindful Consumption: Did you know 75 percent of your appliance energy use takes place when you’re not even using it? It’s called passive or “vampire” energy use, and it occurs on every appliance that’s plugged in 24/7. For instance, your plasma TV could be costing you about $150 while you aren’t using it. Your computer can gobble up another $60 and that coffee maker, another $20. Plug them into a smart power strip today, turn the powerstrip off when appliances aren’t in use and you could start saving $230 annually.
Make Better Choices: Switch your lighting and save today. The five lights you use most frequently are your kitchen ceiling light, living room table and floor lamps, bathroom vanity lamp and outdoor porch lamp. Replace them with ENERGY STAR rated CFLs or LEDs to potentially lower your bill by $75 per year.
Cool Down: It’s time to quit paying to overheat your water. Set your hot water heater temperature at 120° and reduce standby heat loss by wrapping it in an insulation blanket. This can save you up to $45 per year.
Tighten Up: Heating and cooling make up about 46 percent of your monthly bill. That’s why sealing and insulating your air ducts can improve system efficiency by as much as 20 percent. If your monthly bill is $110, that means you could save about $120 a year.