Ventura County Star (California)
Let there be light. Only, let it be cheaper and greener.
That is what Southern California Edison has in mind with a proposed initiative that would provide 1 million low-income households with six free compact fluorescent light bulbs to help reduce electricity bills.
Using fluorescent light bulbs would save such households at least $72 a year, and would require a third of electricity used by incandescent bulbs and last 10 times as long, according to Rosemead-based Edison. Each fluorescent bulb used could save up to $12 a year, money that could be spent on other life necessities, said Gene Rodrigues, director of energy efficiency at Edison.
Edison would offer the service to customers within 200 percent of the poverty guidelines.
“These are lower-income customers, for whom the economic savings are important,” Rodrigues said.
The program is projected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by as much as 155,400 tons, over the nine to 11 year lifetime of fluorescent bulbs. It is equivalent to taking nearly 30,000 cars off the road, according to Edison.
“By saving energy, that means California needs to generate, or procure, less power,” Rodrigues said. “This allows our customers to save energy, save money and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.”
If approved by the California Public Utilities Commission, Edison would slightly increase the electric bills of its 4.7 million customers, including roughly 300,000 Ventura County residents, to pay for the $22 million program. It would be funded under the “Public Goods Charge” on customers’ bills.
Edison Spokesman Tom Boyd estimates each customer will have to pay about 50 cents to 60 cents more to help cover the cost. The money collected would pay for the light bulbs and jobs. Workers would distribute the bulbs through community organizations.
It’s a good, civic-minded, energy-saving action, but the wrong payment method, said Judy Dugan, research director for the Foundation for Taxpayer & Consumer Rights in Santa Monica.
“It would be a terrific idea, absolutely smashing — if shareholders were to pay for this,” she said. “For Edison to decide unilaterally to do this, and make rate payers pay for it, tarnishes the idea.”
Edison plans to present a formal proposal within the next few weeks to the PUC, Rodrigues said.
Edison executives are seeking rapid approval from state regulators, with possible plans to start the program in July.
If implemented, Edison intends to distribute the light bulbs to all 1 million households within 18 months, Rodrigues said.
“I think the likelihood for approval is extremely high,” Rodrigues said. “One of the things that Edison is really proud of is California energy policy regulators are really taking a leadership position in this country in terms of energy efficiency. This fits squarely with California’s energy policy.”
To encourage use of fluorescent light bulbs, Edison already has an existing program established to reduce the price of fluorescent bulbs at more than 1,500 stores in its territory.
Edison pays fluorescent light bulb manufacturers to reduce the price of the light bulb, which is then passed onto the retailers — large home improvement centers, hardware stores, grocery stores, drug stores and small, privately owned stores — so they can sell for less to the general public.
On the Net: www.edison.com
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