6/21/2012 - West Side Leader
     

To the editor:

For 40 years, owners of all-electric homes enjoyed discounted rates from the local utility, FirstEnergy (The Illuminating Co., Ohio Edison and Toledo Edison), as they offered incentives for construction of all-electric residences. In 2011, the deal has been reversed, as FirstEnergy is phasing out about half of the discounts for owners of all-electric homes. What this means is that these owners will see significant increases in their energy costs.

In response to the discounts being taken away, CKAP (Citizens for Keeping the All Electric Promise) was established as an advocacy group to protect the interests of owners of all-electric homes. Its sole mission is to help educate all-electric home owners about the issue and raise awareness about ways to save on their electric bills.

CKAP is providing a savings opportunity for all-electric homes. Because Ohio customers can choose their electric supplier, CKAP has negotiated discounted rates with a certified electric supplier, Duke Energy Retail.

The generation discount offered by Duke Energy Retail will make up for a substantial part of the discount that will be phased out over the following six years as a result of the PUCO decision [for more on that, see www.allelectrichomes.info/PUCO-Decision.php]. Because many all-electric home owners cannot afford to convert to gas or have no access to gas, Duke Energy Retail’s discount is a critical part of making ownership of an all-electric home affordable in the future.

This savings opportunity comes at a critical time. By selecting Duke Energy Retail as their supplier and taking advantage of the negotiated rates by CKAP, residents can save an estimated $265 per year off the local utility’s standard rate. Or, in other words, for every 1,000 people in the community who enroll, collective savings is as much as $530,000 over two years.

To start saving on your electric bill, sign up for CKAP’s discounted rate with Duke Energy Retail at www.dukeenergyretail.com or call 855-999-8817 by June 30. Additional information is available at CKAP’s website at www.allelectrichomes.info.

Sue Steigerwald, founder, Citizens for Keeping the All Electric Promise

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