Thousands of Duke Energy customers are receiving a letter in the mail....asking you to sign up for something called a
"Power Manager." It sounds like a money saving deal....but is it really?
What is It?Duke wants to give you some money for helping them reduce electric use during times of peak demand on hot days.
If you sign up for "Power Manager," you' ll receive a
one-time $25 credit....plus the possibility of an
additional $5 during summer months. In return, you agree to let Duke turn off your a/c for a few minutes each hour during peak demand. Duke will do it by remote control, through a radio receiver attached to your central a/c unit.
Pros and ConsBut is it a good idea? We checked with one of Cincinnati's oldest and most respected air conditioning firms:
Apollo Heating and Cooling.Co-owner Jamie Gerdsen told me it's a good way of helping the environment. It lowers peak demand, reduces coal burning, and helps reduce the need for a new power plant.
But he says it won't reduce your cooling bill: to do that, he suggests buying a programmable thermostat.
Gerdsen says "try to turn your thermostat to 76 degrees during the cooling months, and set it to go a few degrees higher when you are out all day. That will lower your bill."
Could it Harm your Air Conditioner?Despite some online claims of power management devices causing a few problems for homeowners, Gerdsen tells me he has no reports of Duke's Power Manager damaging any a/c units in the Cincinnati area. He says compressors can handle the few extra on and off cycles.
But he points out it does not save you energy...since your a/c has to work harder to cool down the house once Duke turns it back on.
So Should you say Yes?My bottom line: Sign up for power manager if you want to help the environment...but don't expect it to help your wallet much, beyond the initial $25 credit.
And remember, you are putting ultimate control of your a/c unit in Duke's hands. The main purpose of this is to help Duke, not you.
As always, don't waste your money. I'm John Matarese.
