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Brighten your home while saving energy 

Energy saving lighting popular with Xcel Energy customers

MINNEAPOLIS - The change of seasons combined with the end of daylight saving time means Xcel Energy customers will be leaving the lights on at home for more hours in the coming months. One way to save energy and money is to purchase energy-saving compact fluorescent bulbs.

The bulbs, which consume less electricity and last much longer than incandescent bulbs, have struck a chord with consumers and can be purchased through a special catalogue currently offered by Xcel Energy in Minnesota, Wisconsin and the Dakotas.  

According to Product Portfolio Manager Jean Hammer, there’s a bonus for customers who order six or more lighting products from the catalogue. "They get to choose a free night light," Hammer said. "There are three designs to choose from, including Reddy Kilowatt, the Vikings and Packers. So far the Reddy lights are the most popular." The catalogues are available by calling the customer service line at 1-800-895-4999 and asking for brochure number 0808. Customers can also go on-line to order the bulbs by going to www.xcelenergy.com and then clicking on the link to the NSP page. At the bottom of that site there is a link to energy-saving lighting order forms.

Compact fluorescent bulbs give off the same bright, warm light as standard bulbs and last up to 10 times longer - yet use 75 percent less energy. Replacing one 100-watt incandescent bulb with a 25 watt compact fluorescent saves about $50 in electricity costs during the life of the bulb. Although the initial purchase price is higher, switching to compact fluorescent bulbs saves money in the long run.

Compact fluorescent bulbs must be recycled and under Minnesota law cannot be discarded in household trash. Xcel Energy works with many cities and counties to fund free bulb collection and recycling programs. Some localities hold events allowing residential and small business customers to recycle up to 10 bulbs per year at no cost. Contact your local government for more details.

In addition, Minnesota customers can recycle the bulbs at many local hardware stores, at a cost that varies from store to store. Xcel Energy offers lamp recycling coupons, up to 10 per year, which reduce the recycling cost by 50 cents per bulb at participating hardware stores. Customers can call the customer service line listed above and request brochure number 0604 for more details.

Lighting costs can account for up to 7 percent of a household’s monthly electricity bill. "That’s why compact fluorescent bulbs make so much sense," Hammer said. "We at Xcel Energy are ready to help our customers hold the line on rising energy bills."