Home > News & Events > Customers to Begin Receiving CFL Bulbs, Program Helps PUD Achieve Energy Conservation Goals
3/2/2010
(PORT ANGELES, Wash.) – Clallam County PUD’s customers this week will begin receiving in the mail packages containing five ENERGY STAR® approved Compact Fluorescent Light (CFL) bulbs. Using the services of an outside contractor, the utility is sending the packages to each residential account holder’s physical mailing address. Approximately 140,000 of the highly energy efficient bulbs are being distributed at no charge to customers.
“Once all of these bulbs are put to use, we will reduce customers’ electricity usage by enough to power approximately 250 Clallam County homes,” said Fred Mitchell, the PUD’s Power Supply and Uitlity Services Manager. “Increased energy efficiency and conservation is a long-established practice at the PUD. Recent voter-requested changes in state policy require us over the next two years to approximately double our annual goals for energy conservation. This CFL program is the most efficient and cost-effective way for us to meet this ambitious goal. The result will be considerable energy and financial savings for both our customers and the PUD.”
A CFL bulb uses approximately one-fourth of the electricity as an incandescent bulb while providing he same amount of light. Because CFLs last eight to 10 times longer, lower replacement costs alone save customers about $30 over the life of the CFL bulb, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.
The PUD is sending each customer two 13-watt and three 20-watt CFLs. Respectively, they have the same lighting capacity of 60-watt and 75-watt incandescent bulbs. Each package includes an educational insert that explains the best uses for the bulbs, the progress that has occurred in CFL technology, and information about proper disposal. Because CFL bulbs use a minute portion of mercury, proper disposal is recommended.
“CFL light quality and technology has come a very long way since their introduction in the 1990s,” said Mitchell. “Federal standards will in the next few years require the market to offer only bulbs with efficiency standards that cannot be reached with incandescent bulbs. CFLs are the best option for meeting these new standards and we believe this program will play a key role in helping our customers become more familiar and comfortable with the benefits of CFLs.”
In the event a customer finds anything wrong with the box’s contents, they are encouraged to call the distributor, AutoCell Electronics, Inc., directly. Customer service representatives can be reached Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. PST by calling, toll-free, 1-888-393-6688.
