Spokane7
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July 30, 2011 in Business
Avista mailing out energy-saving bulbs
Avista Utilities has begun mailing 350,000 kits with eight compact fluorescent bulbs to residential customers in Washington and Idaho.
The effort is part of Avista’s goal to encourage customers to use less electricity, company spokeswoman Debbie Simock said.
Simock said the kits should reach all customers by the end of November.
It’s costing Avista roughly $7.5 million to buy, package and mail the kits.
The money for that project comes from a monthly energy-efficiency surcharge Avista collects from its customers. Washington customers pay $3.79 per month for an average of 1,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity.
Idaho customers pay $2.58 per month for an average of 1,000 kilowatt-hours.
If all residential customers replace eight standard, less-efficient light bulbs in their homes, the result will be a reduction of nearly 90,000 megawatt-hours of electricity over the next 12 months, Simock said.
Of that, Simock estimated about 57,000 megawatt-hours would be saved by Washington residential customers and the rest by those in Idaho.
The average Washington residential home uses about 12,000 kilowatt-hours per year. Idaho customers use on average 11,470 kilowatt-hours per year, according to Avista.
Over a typical seven-year life span of compact fluorescent lights (CFLs), the bulbs should save Washington residential customers $93 and Idaho customers $104 on average, she added.
The bulbs provide the equivalent of 60, 75 and 100 watts.
CFLs last usually seven times longer than standard bulbs and use 75 percent less energy.
The goal of conserving energy also is required by a 2006 voter-approved Washington law that requires utilities with more than 25,000 customers to set targets for energy savings.
Avista’s 2010-’11 energy conservation target is 128,600 megawatt-hours from Washington residential and business customers. To help reach that target, Avista also is emphasizing energy rebates and energy saving incentives for residents and businesses.
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westerly on July 30 at 7:59 a.m.
Cool….and it makes for an excellent image of Avista’s un-ending care for its customers. Great P.R.!!
monkeyman on July 30 at 8:45 a.m.
“The money for that project comes from a monthly energy-efficiency surcharge Avista collects from its customers. Washington customers pay $3.79 per month for an average of 1,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity.”
I guess we are paying for them. Can I get cash refund, instead of the bulbs? I don’t like the white light anyway. I have a bunch of them sitting unused.
CFLs also don’t live up to the life span claimed, according to recent findings. This article covers CFLs in good detail - http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2011-07-08/news/sc-cons-0707-karpspend-20110708_1_bulbs-traditional-incandescents-cfls
monkeyman on July 30 at 8:47 a.m.
..oh, forgot to mention a big issue - that they release hazardous mercury when they break.
monkeyman on July 30 at 8:55 a.m.
A little late (deadline July 15), but I just opted out of receiving them - http://everylittlebit.com/FreeCFLs.aspx
SpokyDaBear on July 30 at 10:08 a.m.
The warning label on the packaging states that if a bulb breaks, one is supposed to open all the windows in the room and let the harmful vapors ventilate out of the room for 15 minutes….
That’s all we need is more mercury in our homes…
Teseract on July 30 at 1:12 p.m.
Didn’t need them… I already have all CFL’s. I don’t know if these are the white kind or the “soft white” ones, I’ve not tried one yet.
If you don’t like the light indoors, replacing porch and other lights outdoors that typically stay on all night is still worthwhile.
As for disposing of them, make sure to place them in a ziplock baggy. I prefer using quart freezer bag as the plastic is tougher. As someone else said, these contain mercury (all florescent lights do) and you don’t want one breaking. If you have pregnant women or young children in the house be especially careful if one breaks.
I’m sure when LED bulbs come down in price and up in brightness Avista will mail those out on our dime too. At least the LED bulbs don’t contain mercury, will last much longer than CFLs, and will have a much wider range of color options for those who don’t like the white light and hate the long warmup times. I know I tend to leave my kitchen lights on all the time as it takes a good 2-3 minutes for the bulbs to reach full light output.
xdancer03 on July 30 at 3:29 p.m.
I agree with some of the remarks - JUST A LITTLE LATE. Also, why are they charging us SO much. Then to WASTE all that money sending out the bulbs - which if you figure out 350,000 pks at a cost of $7.5 million, is close to $25 a pop. What anouther WASTE of money.
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It’s like building anouther Atomic plant. The cost of the Building of the Plant, maintaining it, paying for security for 500 years to protect and maintain the chemical waste, IS just STUPID. With all that cost, and WITHOUT future danger to the people/land/animals around it - that same amount of money could go to putting SOLAR POWER on all Roofs (for free). That would be a clearner and easier way to providing services that are needed. While looking into the Future - for better benefits.
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Sorry - that’s my opinion. - I just HATE seeing Stupid waste - especially when (at the end), I am having to pay for it…!!!!
Thanks, Vic