Stay cool and save this summer. Attend a free Summer Energy Workshop or Webinar.

Join the Power Smart Pricing Summer Energy Tips Webinar on Thursday May 23, 2013 from noon to 1PM  and learn how to keep summer electricity bills under control. Register here: https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/289549302

This May, the Power Smart Pricing team will also host workshops to help Illinois households better manage their summer electricity costs. Attend a workshop to learn how to save more energy and money at home this summer.

• Get tips on managing your summer electricity usage and costs with the Power Smart Pricing program.
• Discover no-cost and low-cost ways to save energy.
• Learn which energy-saving home improvements could offer the best return on your investment.
• Find out about programs that could help cover the cost of energy-saving home improvements.
• Get advice on how you can protect the environment by using energy efficiently.

Workshops are free of charge and refreshments will be provided. Workshop Schedule:

• May 6, 6 p.m., Champaign Public Library, 200 W. Green St., Champaign, IL
• May 9, 6 p.m., North Branch Peoria Public Library, 3001 W. Grand Parkway, Peoria, IL
• May 13, 6 p.m., Belleville Public Library, 121 E. Washington St., Belleville, IL
• May 14, 6 p.m., Effingham Public Library, 100 East Market Ave., Effingham, IL
• May 14, 6 p.m., Decatur Public Library, 130 N. Franklin St., Decatur, IL
• May 15, 6 p.m., Jacksonville Public Library, 201 W. College Ave., Jacksonville, IL
• May 15, 6 p.m., Normal Public Library, 206 W. College Ave, Normal, IL

RSVP to 1-877-655-6028 or info@powersmartpricing.org.

Reducing peak demand benefits all customers because it lowers strain on the electrical grid and reduces the amount of expensive, peak-time power that Ameren Illinois needs to buy for customers. A lower peak demand is also good for the environment, because it reduces the need to operate older, less efficient generation facilities in order to meet peak demand.

The 25 percent savings result is based on average savings on electricity supply charges for 2008 through 2010. By the end of this year, current customers are on track to save an average of roughly 25 percent during 2011.

Power Smart Pricing is designed to help customers save money by giving them access to hourly, market-based electricity prices. While these prices vary, often the market-based price of electricity is lower than the price under the standard residential rate. Prices tend to be low most of the time during the fall, winter and spring, and can be higher on summer afternoons. Customers can increase their savings with Power Smart Pricing by taking simple actions to conserve electricity during the hours when prices rise.

Power Smart Pricing is an electricity rate option from Ameren Illinois that is administered by CNT Energy, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping consumers and communities save energy and money. Customers who sign up for Power Smart Pricing continue to get their electricity supply from Ameren Illinois. CNT Energy provides information and customer support to help program participants get the best possible value from the program.

“Power Smart Pricing works a bit like a cell phone plan that gives you lower prices for nights and weekends,” says Stephanie Folk, a program spokesperson from CNT Energy. “But with Power Smart Pricing you get even more times when prices are low. For many people it’s an easy way to save on household bills.”

With Power Smart Pricing, the hourly electricity prices for each day are set the evening in advance. Customers can check prices by phone or the Internet or through other tools including Twitter and smart phone apps. Program participants can also view their electricity usage and savings information by logging in to their account at www.powersmartpricing.org.

In addition to helping customers cut costs, Power Smart Pricing has demonstrated that participants reduce their electricity usage during hours when demand for electricity is highest. This eases stress on the electric grid, and can help reduce the cost of power for all customers by reducing the amount of expensive peak power that the utility must buy.

For more information, go to contact the Power Smart Pricing team at info@powersmartpricing.org or call 1-877-655-6028.

Nearly 11,000 downstate Illinois households have discovered they can cut their electric utility bills by switching to the Ameren Illinois Power Smart Pricing program.

“Power Smart Pricing is saving Ameren Illinois residential customers an average of 16 percent or $200 on their annual electricity bills,” said Stephanie Folk, communications manager for CNT Energy, the non-profit coordinator of Power Smart Pricing.

“Because Power Smart Pricing works, it now has the highest enrollment rate of any such program in the United States. With Power Smart Pricing, customers can use electricity when the price is low.”

Power Smart Pricing is designed to help customers save money by giving them access to hourly, market-based electricity prices. While these prices vary, often the market-based price of electricity is lower than the price under the standard residential rate. Customers can increase their savings by taking simple actions to conserve energy during the hours when prices rise.

“For example, customers are saving money by doing laundry and running the dishwasher at night, in the morning or on weekends when electricity prices are low,” Folk said. “Customers have discovered that simple changes in household activities can result in big savings.”

How it works

• In contrast to the basic summer and winter rate customers typically pay for electric supply, real-time pricing allows customers to pay a fluctuating hourly price for electricity – a price driven by the market demand for energy.
• Power Smart Pricing participants have access to price forecasts that can be used to guide their energy use, and potentially save them money.
• CNT Energy will alert Power Smart Pricing participants in advance by e-mail or phone any time the price of electricity is expected to be high.
• Customers will be required to remain on Power Smart Pricing for 12 months before they may switch to another supply option.
• Customers will continue to receive their electric bill from their Ameren Illinois utility

Power Smart Pricing has also garnered support of the utility watchdog group, the Citizens Utility Board (CUB). CUB Executive Director David Kolata says the program is a good option for many customers.

“If we’re going to find answers to our energy problems, we have to offer Illinois families a wide spectrum of creative programs that allow them to cut energy waste and save money. Power Smart Pricing is one of those good, sensible ideas. It’s been saving households $200 a year, and that’s good news in this economy,” said Kolata.

In addition to helping customers cut costs, Power Smart Pricing has demonstrated that participants reduce their peak demand for electricity. This eases stress on the electric grid, and can help reduce the cost of power for all customers by reducing the amount of expensive peak power that the utility must buy.

More details about the Power Smart Pricing appear below. For more information, call 877- 655-6028.

About Power Smart Pricing

Background

Energy efficiency advocates and leading economists have long recognized that residential electricity rates that reflect the actual market cost of electricity are essential to ensuring consumer benefits from a nationwide expansion of the smart grid. Market-based rates allow customers to adopt more energy efficient behaviors, and provide consumers with tools to save money by using cheaper, off-peak power.

A pilot program run by ComEd and CNT Energy from 2003 through 2006 demonstrated that offering an hourly pricing option has several benefits. It increases customer choice, gives customers tools for managing their electricity costs, encourages more energy efficient behavior, and helps to reduce electricity demand during peak hours. Based on the success of this pilot program, in 2006 the Illinois state legislature passed a law requiring major electric utilities to offer residential customers an hourly pricing option. Ameren Illinois then worked with CNT Energy to launch Power Smart Pricing in early 2007. Since then the program has grown rapidly, with enrollment more than doubling during 2010 to reach its current level of nearly 11,000 active participants.

How it Works

Power Smart Pricing gives customers access to hourly, market-based electricity rates. This allows customers to manage their costs by shifting some of their electricity use to off-peak times such as nights and weekends. In addition, hourly electricity prices often stay low all day during the fall, winter and spring. Participants who enroll remain Ameren Illinois customers. As the program administrator, CNT Energy promotes the program and provides specialized customer support including information on price patterns, newsletters, a specialized call center, and e-mail and phone alerts in advance of higher prices.

Results

Power Smart Participant have saved money, reduced their electricity usage during peak hours, and reduced their total electricity consumption. Results from the first four years of the program include the following.

Participation Levels

• Enrollment more than doubled during 2010. Nearly 11,000 households are currently enrolled.
• Municipalities with the highest enrollment levels are Champaign (840), Decatur (744), Belleville (661), Peoria (583), Urbana (409), Bloomington (315), Quincy (286), Collinsville (264), Danville (257), and O’Fallon (245).

Bill Savings

• Participants have saved an average of 16 percent compared with the standard residential rate.
• Percentage saved is similar for all income levels, from households earning less than $10,000 per year to those earning $150,000 or more.
• Together, participants have saved more than $3 million since the program started.
• Typical customers with bills averaging $100 per month have saved nearly $200 per year on electricity.

Customer Satisfaction

• More than 99 percent of customers stay with the program after their initial 12-month commitment expires.
• The majority of customers say participating is quick and easy.

Electricity Usage

• During 2009, participants reduced their electricity usage 5.1% during the summer and 1.2 percent overall.
• Participants reduced electricity usage between noon and 5 p.m. on summer weekdays, times when prices and demand tend to be highest (average load reduction of 0.13 kW per hour during 2009).
• Participants reduced electricity use by an average of nearly 25 percent during peak hours after they received a high-price alert by phone or e-mail, notifying them in advance of higher prices.

For more information, go to www.powersmartpricing.org or call (877) 655-6028. Program evaluations from previous years are available at www.cntenergy.org/publications.

Check it out here.

The program will also automatically help you conserve electricity. During peak demand periods, times that will generally feature the highest prices of the year, the thermostat will automatically change its settings to cycle the central air conditioner on and off. This will lower its energy consumption, significantly aiding the utility to conserve its resources, and ultimately lowering your bills.

With other enhanced features, participants can easily program their house to take advantage of precooling their home in the summer and more freely respond to high prices. The online user interface provides a convenient way to navigate through all the features the thermostat provides without having to use the limited buttons and screen sizes of traditional thermostats. Sitting down for 5 minutes and programming this thermostat will save you tons of time and money later on.

For more information, check out the FAQ page (pdf).

Update: This promotion is limited to certain zip codes in its initial offering.

Update #2: This program has been suspended. Please call 877-655-6028 for more information.

Read the full article here.

More than 5,000 households have signed up for the Power Smart Pricing program, an hourly electricity pricing option offered by the Ameren Illinois Utilities. The program allows customers to pay lower prices for electricity during off-peak hours, such as evenings, nights and weekends. This means that participants can cut costs by being smart about both how much electricity they use and when they use it.

Since Power Smart Pricing launched in early 2007, participants have saved an average of 13 percent compared with what they would have paid on the standard fixed rate (based on billing results for May 2007 through May 2009). The prices the Ameren Illinois Utilities charge for delivering electricity are the same no matter what electric power supply option is selected by a customer.

Power Smart Pricing participants pay hourly electricity prices that are set in the regional wholesale market, and therefore savings are not guaranteed. However, the downturn in the global economy has reduced demand for electricity, and wholesale electricity prices have fallen significantly. Power Smart Pricing customers have benefited from the drop in wholesale prices. During 2009, participants have saved an average of 27 percent on their electricity bills.

How it Works
Under the standard residential rate, electricity prices are the same no matter what time of day customers use it. Power Smart Pricing is designed to benefit households, the environment and the electrical system by giving residential customers access to hourly, wholesale electricity prices. Hourly prices go up and down throughout the day along with demand for electricity. Most of the time, the hourly price is lower than the standard utility fixed price. By shifting some of their electricity usage to those hours when demand is lower, Power Smart Pricing participants can increase their savings while they help to trim peak demand for electricity. This reduces the need to operate or build additional power plants, and reduces strain on the electrical infrastructure.

When customers enroll in Power Smart Pricing, the Ameren Illinois Utilities continue to deliver their power, respond to service calls and issue bills. Participants receive additional support from CNT Energy, an independent nonprofit organization dedicated to helping Illinois residents save energy and money. Power Smart Pricing uses day-ahead hourly prices, meaning that the prices for each day are set on the previous evening. Program participants can check prices in online or by phone and plan their energy saving actions.

For more information go to www.powersmartpricing.org or call CNT Energy at 1-877-655-6028.

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We want to remind you that it’s still important to reduce your electricity use during summer afternoons. During the summer, the RTP Supplier Charge may be a substantial charge on your Power Smart Pricing electric bill. To minimize this charge, you should reduce your electricity use (especially air conditioning use) on hot weekday afternoons, particularly between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m.

Please refer to your Power Smart Pricing Program Guide and Summer Energy Saving Guide for more energy-saving tips and details about the RTP Supplier Charge and other line items on your bill.

As always, feel free to contact us at 1-877-655-6028 if you have any questions!