Saver's Switch®

Save money with Saver's Switch® this Summer!

As summer temperatures soar, so does your need for air conditioning, which usually means higher electric bills. OperationWise from Xcel Energy^SM brings you Saver's Switch so you can stay cool and comfortable all summer while keeping your energy costs down when you let us cut back on the time your air conditioning cools your business. This free program not only saves you money, but you'll help us:

• Preserve natural resources for future generations
• Keep electricity available to all customers during periods with very high demand for electricity
• Help the environment by reducing the need for more power plants
• Keep electricity rates low and affordable.

Saver’s Switch provides you with a discount on your energy bill based on the size of your air conditioning unit.  For participating, you'll receive $3 per kW connected to Saver’s Switch for the entire year (January through December).  The average customer has nearly 30kW on Saver’s Switch, which allows them to save $90 on their monthly energy bills. 

Don’t worry if you don’t know the kW size of your equipment.  We’ll send a licensed electrician to your business to verify your air conditioning size and your savings.

It’s Simple

Join 15,000 businesses already conserving energy with Saver's Switch

Saver’s Switch is simple. Hot summer days mean more air conditioning, which pushes demand for electricity to a peak. By participating in Saver's Switch, you'll help us manage these peaks by cutting back just a little on the time your central air cools your business. Your effort to conserve energy helps us provide reliable electricity and preserve natural resources.

It’s Easy

A licensed electrician installs a small remote control switch on your outside air conditioner’s condensor. The switch does not affect the fan that circulates the already-cooled air, which is inside your business.  You don’t have to be present for installation.

It’s Cool

You’ll stay cool and comfortable. On hot summer days—10 to 15 days at most—Xcel Energy may activate Saver’s Switch.  If you have a single stage air conditioner, the condenser will be cycled on and off at 15 minute intervals.  Dual stage air conditioners have the second stage shut off for the entire control time period.  The first stage continues to run uninterruptedly.  However, the fan that circulates conditioned air stays on, circulating already-cooled air throughout your business. 

Because the temperature change is typically only a few degrees, most participants don’t even notice the Saver’s Switch has been activated.

Guidelines

• You must be a business customer in Wisconsin who receives electric service from Xcel Energy.
• In addition to air conditioners, Saver's Switch can be installed on air/water-cooled chillers and generators. Please contact your Xcel Energy Representative or call the Xcel Energy Business Solutions Center at 1-800-481-4700 for more information.
• The switch should be installed six to eight weeks after you sign up.  If you enroll during winter, the unit will be installed the following spring.
• If you are a tenant in the building, your enrollment will not be processed until Xcel Energy receives the building owner’s permission to install Saver’s Switch. If necessary, please complete the information on the reply card and Xcel Energy will contact the owner to receive approval.
• Businesses with heat-producing equipment are not recommended to participate. Heat build-up from this equipment may cause indoor temperatures to rise higher than anticipated.
• The $3 per kW monthly savings will begin after Saver's Switch is installed and activated.
• All air conditioners must have Saver’s Switch unless exempted by Xcel Energy. Contact us for more details.
• Quantities are limited and some restrictions apply.
• Applications will be completed on a first-come, first-serve basis. Once the annual maximum quantities of Saver's Switch are reached, any remaining enrollments will be held until the following year when new switches become available. Saver's Switch units will not be held for potential long-term projects.
• Your participation in Saver's Switch is automatically carried forward every year. Minimum participation commitment is one year.
• The number of control hours allowable per year is 300 hours. Historically, we average 40 control hours per year.

How do I sign up?

To find out how Saver's Switch can help your business save money this summer, call the Xcel Energy Business Solutions Center at 1-800-481-4700 (Monday-Friday, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. CST).