HPA Test Today (5/26)

Be on the look out for a test High Price Alert today. We are sending out a test to make sure the system is working properly ahead of the coming high prices this summer (if summer ever comes...). The TEST will be for participants by either telephone or email. In the event that a high price triggers a High Price Alert this summer you will be notified the evening before day that has the high priced hour(s). Please keep in mind that we have changed our high price alert threshold from 13 cents to 9 cents.

 If you would to change the way you receive your high price alert or the contact number/email, please call us at 1-888-655-6028 or email us at info@powersmartpricing.org to request a change.

Below is an EXAMPLE of what a high price alert email looks like:

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This is a High Price Alert from Power Smart Pricing.

Friday, May 27th, hourly prices are at or above 9 cents per kilowatt hour (kWh) as shown in the list below:

Time                      Price (cents/kWh)

3:00-4:00 PM                       9.3                                         

To manage your costs with Power Smart Pricing, please make an extra effort to conserve electricity during these hours. To view the complete day-ahead price information, go to www.powersmartpricing.org.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to e-mail us at info@powersmartpricing.org or call (877) 655-6028.

Thank you for your participation.

Sincerely,

The Power Smart Pricing Team

New Latest and Greatest in LEDs

Phillips has launched a new LED bulb to serve as a replacement for a traditional 75-watt incandescent bulb, but it comes in at an energy demand of just 17-watts. However, like all things LED, this bulb will still cost you a fortune (in terms of lightbulbs) at somewhere between $40 and $45. It's hard to imagine many people running out to Home Depot to pick one up.

What's hard to imagine is that $40 is actually quite the bargain.

It can actually save significant money on energy costs. Philips says because its new bulb lasts 25 times longer than an incandescent, and reduces energy consumption by 80 percent, the owner will save $160 per bulb over the 25,000 hours (about 17 years) of the life of its new 17-watt LED bulb.

 For more information check out the Earth2Tech post here.

RSVP to Summer Workshops Online

Get ready to save on summer energy bills

You are invited to attend a workshop and get the information you need to keep summer energy bills under control.

• 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.

2011 Workshop Schedule:

• May 9, 6:30 p.m., Bloomington Public Library, 205 E. Olive St., Bloomington, IL
• May 9, 6:30 p.m., Southern Illinois University, Student Center, Illinois Room,1255 Lincoln Dr., Carbondale, IL
• May 10, 6:30 p.m., Southwestern Illinois College, Liberal Arts Building, Room 2120, 2500 Carlyle Ave., Belleville, IL
• May 10, 6:30 p.m., Peoria Public Library, Lake View Branch, 1137 W. Lake Ave., Peoria, IL
• May 11, 6:30 p.m., Collinsville Public Library, 408 W. Main St., Collinsville, IL
• May 11, 6:30 p.m., Galesburg Public Library, 40 E. Simmons St., Galesburg, IL
• May 17, 6:30 p.m., Decatur Public Library, 130 N. Franklin St., Decatur, IL
• May 18, 6:30 p.m., Jacksonville Public Library, 201 W. College Ave., Jacksonville, IL
• May 19, 6:00 p.m., Litchfield Carnegie Library, 400 N. State St., Litchfield, IL
• May 23, 6:30 p.m., Mattoon Public Library, 1600 Charleston Ave., Mattoon, IL
• May 24, 7 p.m., Champaign Library, 200 W. Green St., Champaign, IL
• May 25, 6:30 p.m., Danville Library, 319 N. Vermilion St., Danville, IL

RSVP to 1-877-655-6028 or info@powersmartpricing.org or sign up online at www.powersmartpricing.org/rsvp2011/.

Great Post from PSP Participant

Here's a quick link to a post by one of our participants on their own blog. It features a ton of really good information on energy savings tips and how to succeed on hourly pricing. Great stuff!

Although one tip on reducing vampire power around your tv is plug everything into a power strip except for the cable box. That way when you shut everything down for the night you won't lose all your channels. It's definitely more trouble than it's worth, but this you can still get some of the savings without the hassle.

http://midwestgreen.wordpress.com/2011/03/18/saving-money-on-electricity/

Industry Wondering If Customers Will Like Dynamic Pricing

Power Smart Pricing has been around since January 2007 and has accumulated over 11,000 customers. Year after year our participants have told us they find the program to be "quick and easy." Our high satisfaction rates should give confidence to other utilities to offer a similar program. However, throughout the country there is a large discrepancy in what industry leaders are saying about these types of programs.

A recent online panel discussion, hosted by Restructuring Today, highlighted the differences of opinion. While all the speakers agreed there was great potential in dynamic pricing, some felt that it was best to wait for "enabling technologies" to catch up and make it easier and more automated. Power Smart Pricing has enhanced its offering of online technologies to create easier access to prices, however the fundamental way of saving money on the program still rests in the hands of the participants (99% of which are saving money).

So the bottom line is that customers already love dynamic pricing. The need is to get it out to more customers and trust the existing programs that have shown great results.

For more coverage >> Why Consumers Will Love Dynamic Pricing - Katherine Tweed, GreenTechMedia