AEP Ohio donates 200,000 ENERGY STAR® certified CFLs to Mid-Ohio Foodbank

(Story by Fay White)

For the second year running, AEP Ohio is proud to donate 200,000 ENERGY STAR® certified compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs to the Mid-Ohio Foodbank in Columbus, Ohio, as part of the company’s ENERGY STAR Day. Struggling Ohioans from throughout the state will receive the energy efficient bulbs this fall to help reduce energy use and costs, freeing up their limited resources for life’s other necessities.

A Mid-Ohio Foodbank employee loads boxes of CFLs for pickup and distribution.

“Installing CFLs is a quick and easy way to lower energy use and save on electric bills,” said [Gary Spitznogle], vice president of Regulatory and Finance for AEP Ohio. “Arming people with the means to become more energy efficient is one way we can help those in need save on living costs.

“CFLs can be used in almost any fixture and use about 75 percent less energy than standard incandescent bulbs, saving people about $50 or more in electricity costs over the course of each bulb’s lifetime.”

AEP Ohio’s longstanding partnership with Mid-Ohio Foodbank affords the electric company the opportunity to distribute CFL bulbs to low-income Ohioans in eight counties throughout the state.

“AEP Ohio’s generosity to provide energy efficient bulbs to those in our community who are struggling so that they can access food with their limited resources makes a real difference,” said Matt Habash, president and CEO, Mid-Ohio Foodbank. “Families throughout our footprint worry every day about where their next meals will come from. This donation helps to lessen that ache.”

The donation is part of AEP Ohio’s Efficient Products Program, offering customers discounted CFLs through participating retailers to help people reduce wasted energy, save money and protect the environment.

Low-income residential customers are also eligible for the installation of a wide range of higher efficiency, cost effective lighting, appliances, heating and cooling equipment, weatherization upgrades and other electrical safety measures. For more information about this program, customers can call AEP Ohio at 1-800-277-2177.

Since 2009, AEP Ohio has helped customers reduce power usage by 1,697 GWhs, saving more than $1 billion. AEP Ohio offers a variety of energy efficiency programs and discounts to help residential and business customers to stop wasting energy and start saving money. For more information, visit AEPOhio.com/WasteLess (residential) or AEPOhio.com/Solutions (business).