It’s time to get ready for summer, and for summer electricity bills. This May the Power Smart Pricing team will host workshops to help Illinois households better manage their summer electricity costs. Attend a Summer Energy Saving Workshop to get the information you need to enjoy the summer while keeping your electricity bills under control.

• Get tips on managing your summer electricity usage and costs.
• Discover no-cost and low-cost ways to save energy at home.
• Get advice on how you can protect the environment by using energy efficiently.
• Learn about your electricity pricing options, including strategies for saving energy and money with Power Smart Pricing, an hourly electricity pricing option from the Ameren Illinois Utilities.

Workshops are free of charge and refreshments will be provided. Space is limited, so to reserve your seat please RSVP to CNT Energy at 1-877-655-6028 or info@powersmartpricing.org or sign up online.

Workshop Schedule

• May 4, 6:30 p.m., Decatur Public Library, 130 N. Franklin St., Decatur
• May 5, 6:30 p.m., Normal Public Library, 206 W. College Ave., Normal
• May 6, 6:30 p.m., Champaign Public Library, 200 W. Green St., Champaign
• May 11, 6:30 p.m., Peoria Public Library, Lake View Branch, 1137 W. Lake Ave., Peoria
• May 12, 6:30 p.m., Jacksonville Public Library, 201 W. College Ave., Jacksonville
• May 13, 6 p.m., Quincy Public Library, 526 Jersey St. , Quincy
• May 18, 6:30 p.m., Carbondale Civic Center, 200 S Illinois Ave., Carbondale
• May 19, 6 p.m., Belleville Public Library, 121 E. Washington St., Belleville
• May 20, 6:30 p.m., Collinsville Public Library, 408 W Main St., Collinsville

The article accompanying the video features Power Smart Pricing participant David Edwards who has been a happy customer for the past 16 months. Thanks for the great coverage!

Check it out here.

Through Ameren’s Act On Energy website customers can receive a free internet enabled thermostat (a $250 value!). The E-Smart Programmable Thermostat can be accessed online so you can change the temperature settings in your home remotely. This is a great opportunity for Power Smart Pricing customers who check prices online.

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.