CHANGE A LIGHT, CHANGE THE WORLD IN MINNESOTA

Consumers Save Money, Energy and the Environment with The Twist of Energy Efficient Light Bulbs – Over 2.5 Million CFLs Sold Through the Change A Light Program

ROCHESTER, MN–Rochester Public Utilities is encouraging its customers to Change A Light and Change the World. You can Change the World, one light and one step at a time by replacing the bulbs in your home’s five most frequently used light fixtures with ENERGY STAR qualified compact fluorescent lamps (CFL’s). In the average home, the most frequently used fixtures are; kitchen ceiling lighting, living room table and floor lamps, bathroom vanity lights and outdoor porch or post lamps. It’s a quick and easy solution. With the simple twist of a light bulb consumers can save energy, lower utility bills, and help protect the environment. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) estimates that households can save at least $60 a year in energy costs.

Now through November 30, 2007 you can visit your local participating Arrow Ace Hardware stores and receive a $2 instant rebate on ENERGY STAR qualified CFL purchases while supplies last. With the instant rebates, the CFLs will sell for as little as $0.99. Not only do ENERGY STAR qualified CFLs use up to 75 percent less energy than your typical incandescent light bulbs, but CFLs also offer superior performance by generating approximately 75 percent less heat than standard incandescent lighting, and lasting up to 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs, making frequent changes of hard to reach light bulbs a thing of the past. You’ll be surprised how bright and warm the lighting is and how little time you will spend replacing the energy-efficient CFLs.

The program is being held in conjunction with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) national “ENERGY STAR Change a Light, Change the World” campaign. Rochester Public Utilities is working with the Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (MEEA) and the Minnesota Department of Commerce to bring the program and instant rebates to its customers.

About Rochester Public Utilities

As the municipal utility of Rochester, Minn., for more than 110 years, RPU provides high-quality and reliable electricity to over 45,000 customers. Water customers number more than 34,000. RPU continually investigates innovative technologies to help customers realize the best value from the services they receive. Current initiatives include fuel cell research, wind power, and photovoltaic offerings.

###