Dominion - Lighting The Way to Greater Energy Savings

Lighting The Way to Greater Energy Savings
With more than 2 million Energy Star-qualified compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs sold in the first year of its discount program with The Home Depot, Dominion Virginia Power is helping to shed light—at less cost to homeowners—on the topic of energy efficiency. The CFL promotion by Dominion, which delivers power to more than 2 million homes and businesses in Virginia and North Carolina, is just one way the company is helping its customers to take charge of their electric bill and reduce their impact on the planet at the same time.

Dominion is offering consumers a $1.50 discount on single and $3 on multi-packs of CFL bulbs purchased at Home Depot stores in Eastern, Central and Northern Virginia. (Used, unbroken CFLs can be returned to Home Depot.) Compared with similar incandescent bulbs, CFLs produce the same amount of light but use about 75 percent less energy and last up to 10-times longer. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that if consumers purchased 5 million CFL bulbs, total savings would be about $206 million over the life of the bulbs.  Additionally, it would reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 1 million tons—the equivalent of removing 186,689 cars from the road for one year—because of the reduced need for electricity.

To further expand the benefits of energy efficiency, Dominion has installed an energy calculator on its Web site.  The energy calculator, available at www.dom.com, helps customers determine the amount of energy they are using and explore ways to save. The calculator enables customers to create a profile of their current household energy use, calculate the energy used by a variety of household appliances, and discover ways to make better energy decisions by reducing consumption and improving energy efficiency.

Dominion has also launched an innovative new Internet blog—
e-conserve.blogspot.com—to complement its Web site. The blog invites customers to share energy-saving tips and ask Dominion questions on energy conservation. Haven't tried blogging yet? Blogs are topic-specific Web sites, or Weblogs, that allow readers to interact by asking and answering questions, leaving comments and responding to the posts of other bloggers in an open exchange of information. 

Some of the recent topics on the Dominion blog include:

• Saving time and money and helping the environment through e-billing.
• Making your apartment "green."
• Calculating your miles driven in dollars, not just miles.
• Getting teens involved in conserving energy.
• Prepping your home for winter.
• Choosing the right CFL light bulb.

Another energy saving effort is the expansion of Dominion's EnergyShare program, which not only is continuing to help those in need pay their utility bills but also is funding the addition of energy-saving measures in homes of qualifying residents. EnergyShare began in 1983 to help with heating bills and was expanded in June 2008 to become year-round by paying summer electricity bills for those in need. More than $1,350,000 was spent in the summer of 2008 to help customers stay cool. A further expansion in 2008 was Dominion’s supplement of the state of Virginia’s Weatherization Assistance Program with a $300,000 donation to fund the addition of energy-saving equipment and materials to homes of seniors age 60 and over who qualify.

Qualifying homes can now receive:

• An inspection of heating and cooling equipment and repairs or replacement as necessary.
• Sealing of major air leaks.
• Insulation of exterior walls, ducts, heating pipes and water heaters.
• Insulation and venting of attics.
• An inspection and repairs of roofs.
• Installation of water conservation measures such as low-flow showerheads and faucet aerators. 

In total, Dominion’s EnergyShare program has donated more than $31 million to families in need during its 25-year history.  The program is supported by donations from Dominion and its customers and employees and EnergyShare partners, including businesses, churches and civic organizations. Local health and social service agencies in the company’s service areas distribute the funds.  Because Dominion pays all administrative costs, 100 percent of the funds donated go directly to help those requiring assistance.

For more information about Dominion and its energy activities, please visit www.dom.com.

© 2008 Edison Electric Institute