FMEA Highlights Energy Efficiency Tips During National Public Power Week

With an increased number of people working remotely and distance learning in their homes due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Florida Municipal Electric Association (FMEA) is recognizing Public Power Week (Oct. 4 – 10) by offering energy saving tips on its social media platforms.

“The pandemic has created some incredibly challenging times with many people staying home as part of efforts to socially distance. More people home and more people home for greater lengths of time can lead to an increase in energy consumption and costs. These energy efficiency tips will help consumers save energy and money while caring for the environment and keeping everyone safe,” said Amy Zubaly, FMEA Executive Director.

Some easy ways to increase your energy efficiency and lower your month electric bill include:

• Turning off all lights, appliances and electronics not in use.
• Conserving energy by turning off and unplugging all electrical devices that aren’t in use, especially phones and tablets that are fully charged.
• Plugging energy leaks with weather stripping and caulking, and be sure your house is properly insulated — you can save up to 20 percent on heating/cooling bills, and make your home more comfortable.
• Changing your air filters regularly. A dirty air conditioning filter will slow airflow and make the system work harder to keep you warm or cool.
• Installing a programmable thermostat to save up to 10 percent on cooling and heating costs.
• Washing clothes in cold water. Heating the water in a washer uses 90 percent of the energy used to wash clothes.
• Replacing incandescent bulbs with energy saving lights. LED lights use up to 90 percent less energy than incandescent bulbs while lasting up to 25 times longer.

Public power utilities offer many benefits to the communities and customers they serve because they are locally owned, locally controlled and locally operated. Residents in public power communities can depend on affordable, reliable and environmentally responsible power. They also have control of their energy future because they have a say in the decisions made about their local electric utility.

One in seven Americans receive their electricity from a public power utility. There are 2,000 public power communities across the country, which employ 93,000 people. Florida has 33 public power utilities that serve more than 3 million people and employ 5,400 Floridians.

Public Power Week is recognized during the first full week of October every year to celebrate our customers and stakeholders, while helping them understand the importance of public power, how they can better engage with their community-owned utility and benefit from its offerings.