Kelowna, BC – October 7, 2009: Switching your favourite brand of coffee could be tough.
But changing out traditional light bulbs in your home for new, energy-efficient compact fluorescents (CFLs) is easy. And it’s free during FortisBC’s PowerSense month.
October is PowerSense month and to commemorate 20 years of encouraging customers to use less power through energy efficiency, FortisBC PowerSense is asking customers to exchange up to six of their most frequently used incandescent light bulbs for energy efficient CFLs — for free.
Called the 20/20 Challenge, the goal is to eliminate 20,000 incandescent light bulbs from FortisBC’s service area in 20 days. That equates to 1.8 million kilowatt hours of energy – enough to power more than 150 homes for a year.
― This challenge is about much more than light bulbs, says Michael Mulcahy, FortisBC’s VP of Customer and Corporate Services. ― It is about meeting our long-term demand side management goal of increasing awareness of energy conservation and helping customers make energy savings part of their everyday lifestyle decisions. Making the switch is a simple act that can help our customers save energy and money.
― Reducing energy consumption helps customers reduce their power bill and extends the life of FortisBC’s power generation facilities in B.C.,he adds.
CFLs use about 75 per less energy than used by incandescent bulbs to deliver the same amount of light. CFLs also last 10 times longer than standard incandescents (about 10,000 hours compared to 1,000 for incandescents), so customers can save money by using less energy and buying fewer bulbs.
To participate in the 20/20 Challenge and receive up to six new CFLs, simply bring your old light bulbs and a current FortisBC electricity bill or ID to an exchange location. At the exchange, you will be asked to pledge to reduce energy use in at least one other way, such as draftproofing your home or taking steps to use heat more wisely this winter.
The collected light bulbs will be recycled at a facility in Kelowna. Exchange locations will be set up throughout the Kootenays, as well as the South Okanagan and in Kelowna.
Kootenay Exchange Locations
Sat, Oct 17 | 10am – 2pm | Waneta Plaza | Trail
Mon, Oct 19 | 1pm – 4pm | Village Office | Salmo
Tues, Oct 20 | 9am – Noon | Village Office | Montrose
Tues, Oct 20 | 1pm – 4pm | Village Office | Fruitvale
Tues, Oct 20 | 10am – 2pm | Creston Valley Mall | Creston
Wed, Oct 21 | 1pm – 4pm | City Hall | Greenwood
Wed, Oct 21 | 9am – Noon | Village Office | Midway
Wed, Oct 21 | 9am – Noon | Aquatic Centre | Grand Forks
Thurs, Oct 22 | 10am – 2pm | Village Office | Village of Slocan
Thurs, Oct 22 | 10am – 2pm | Village Office | Kalso
Sat, Oct 24 | 10am – 2pm | Chahko Mika Mall | Nelson
Sat, Oct 24 | 6pm - 8 pm | Miners Hall | Rossland
Sat, Oct 31 | daytime | Community Complex | Castlegar
For more information on the 20/20 Challenge and locations, visit www.fortisbc.com or call FortisBC PowerSense at 1-866-4FORTIS (1-866-436-7847).
FortisBC PowerSense is committed to helping customers conserve energy and get the most out of their energy dollar by providing both financial incentives and advice on energy efficient technologies and practices. Since it began in 1989, FortisBC PowerSense has helped southern interior customers save over 329 million kWhs, enough energy to power more than 25,000 homes each year.
About FortisBC
FortisBC Inc. is an integrated regulated electric utility based in Kelowna, British Columbia. Focused on the safe delivery of reliable and cost-effective electricity, FortisBC serves approximately 158,000 customers directly and indirectly through wholesale utilities in the southern interior of B.C. FortisBC owns and operates four regulated hydroelectric generating plants and approximately 7,000 kilometres of transmission and distribution power lines. FortisBC employs over 500 people in British Columbia and is an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Fortis Inc., the largest investor-owned distribution utility in Canada. Fortis Inc. shares are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange and trade under the symbol FTS. Additional information can be accessed at www.fortisinc.com or www.sedar.com.
For further information contact:
Marnie Douglas
Communications Specialist
FortisBC
Tel: (250) 469-8120 or Cellular (250) 878-3328
