GAHANNA, Ohio, Oct. 16, 2012 —Turning of the leaves and the chill in the air signals that fall has arrived. With the change in season, comes a shift in energy usage as consumers keep the lights on longer and turn on the furnace to compensate for fewer hours of daylight and colder temperatures. Fittingly, October is not only the first full month of autumn, but also Energy Awareness Month.

            Established by a presidential proclamation in 1991 to promote energy efficiency, Energy Awareness Month is an ideal time for homeowners and businesses to assess how much energy they’re consuming and identify ways they can reduce waste and costs.

            One of the simplest ways to become more energy efficient is to switch from incandescent light bulbs to compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs. CFLs provide the same light output as incandescent bulbs, but use approximately 75 percent less electricity, produce about 75 percent less heat and last roughly 10 times longer. Based on a 6-watt replacement bulb at $0.11 per kWh, a CFL can produce savings of about $50 over the life of the bulb, thus producing long-term energy savings.        AEP Ohio has partnered with major retailers throughout its service area to offer consumers discounts on CFLs, which are provided automatically at the register — no coupons or rebate forms required.                   

            To further enhance consumers’ energy efficiency this fall, AEP Ohio has also extended its Appliance Rebate Program through December 31, 2012. The program offers rebates ranging from $50 to $300 on newly purchased ENERGY STAR® certified appliances.

            Plus, AEP Ohio customers can also receive $50 for recycling an old, working refrigerator or freezer.  Recycling a fridge or freezer can save consumers up to $150 a year in utility costs too.  For a FREE pickup, call 1-877-545-4112 or visit AEPOhio.com/Rebates.

            With winter nipping at fall’s heels, now is the time to check for and seal air leaks in your home or business and reinforce insulation to keep warm air in and the cold air out. Proper insulation and weather stripping will maximize the comfort of your home or business while minimizing energy waste and costs.  October is also the ideal time to have your HVAC system inspected and to stock up on furnace filters. It’s recommended that filters be cleaned or replaced once a month to ensure that your heating system is running at an optimal level.

            If you’re buying a new cold-weather jacket this season, don’t forget one for your water heater. An insulating jacket can cut your water-heating costs as much as 9 percent. Insulating the hot water pipes will further enhance your savings.

            AEP Ohio encourages consumers to take advantage of Energy Awareness Month and to implement these energy and cost-saving measures. If you need help, we offer a variety of energy efficiency programs and discounts to help residential and business customers to stop wasting energy and start saving money. For more information, visit AEPOhio.com/Rebates (residential) or AEPOhio.com/Incentives (business).

            Investor-owned utilities in Ohio are required to meet specific energy reduction targets. AEP Ohio’s overall energy efficiency and peak demand response efforts were established to meet the State of Ohio target of reducing electricity consumption 22 percent by the end of 2025.  For more information about AEP Ohio’s energy efficiency consumer programs, events and tips, visit AEPOhio.com/Rebates.

            AEP Ohio provides electricity to nearly 1.5 million customers of major AEP subsidiaries Ohio Power Company in Ohio and Wheeling Power Company in the northern panhandle of West Virginia. AEP Ohio is based in Gahanna, Ohio, and is a unit of American Electric Power. News and information about AEP Ohio can be found at AEPOhio.com. 

            American Electric Power is one of the largest electric utilities in the United States, delivering electricity to more than 5 million customers in 11 states. AEP ranks among the nation’s largest generators of electricity, owning nearly 38,000 megawatts of generating capacity in the U.S. AEP also owns the nation’s largest electricity transmission system, a nearly 39,000-mile network that includes more 765 kilovolt extra-high voltage transmission lines than all other U.S. transmission systems combined. AEP’s transmission system directly or indirectly serves about 10 percent of the electricity demand in the Eastern Interconnection, the interconnected transmission system that covers 38 eastern and central U.S. states and eastern Canada, and approximately 11 percent of the electricity demand in ERCOT, the transmission system that covers much of Texas. AEP’s utility units operate as AEP Ohio, AEP Texas, Appalachian Power (in Virginia and West Virginia), AEP Appalachian Power (in Tennessee), Indiana Michigan Power, Kentucky Power, Public Service Company of Oklahoma, and Southwestern Electric Power Company (in Arkansas, Louisiana and east and north Texas). AEP’s headquarters are in Columbus, Ohio. News releases and other information about AEP can be found at aep.com.