With a little help from the Ameren Illinois Act On Energy® lighting program, two local businesses are keeping their stores well lit at far less cost.
In February, Rene’s Drug Store completed an upgrade of T-12 lighting, replacing more than 260 T-12 lights with high-efficiency bulbs that use far less electricity energy and provide a better quality of light. Act On Energy provided more than $1,500 in incentives to help fund the improvements. The project is expected to reduce the drug store’s electricity use by more than 16,500 kilowatt-hours a year.
“The brightness of the new bulbs is astonishing – and they will save us hundreds of dollars a year on our energy bills,” said Jack Mazzotti, owner of Rene’s Drug Store. “The incentive check from Act On Energy made the project much more affordable.”
Anderson Jewelers, another fixture on the Taylorville square, also recently completed a similar upgrade of outdated T-12 lighting. Act On Energy provided nearly $300 to help the jeweler replace more than 50 T-12 lamps with high-efficiency bulbs. The upgrade is expected to reduce annual energy use by 3,276 kilowatt-hours. Along with the standard lighting incentive, both Anderson Jewelers and Rene’s Drug Store received an Act On Energy bonus incentive currently available for T-12 lighting upgrades.
“We are excited about the lighting improvements and how they are helping our business use energy more efficiently,” said David Cowell, owner of Anderson Jewelers. “The Act On Energy program is a great resource for small businesses looking to save money.”
Due to a federal mandate, nearly all T-12 lamps will be phased out of production beginning in 2012. This means that eventually all businesses will have to replace their T-12 lighting. With cash incentives available for lighting upgrades and many more energy efficiency projects, Act On Energy makes it even easier for customers to “use less and spend less.”
“Our business and non-profit customers can realize significant savings when they take advantage of our lighting program,” said Cheryl Miller, Act On Energy business program manager. “For example, replacing a standard T-12 fluorescent light fixture with a high-efficiency T-8 fluorescent fixture can reduce electricity consumption by 33 percent, or about $12 per fixture every year.”
Details about the Act On Energy business program are available at ActOnEnergy.com, or by calling 1-866-800-0747 or sending an e-mail to ActOnEnergyBusiness@Ameren.com.
Act On Energy offers incentives and rebates to residential customers, too. For more information about residential programs, visit ActOnEnergy.com, call 1-866-838-6918 or send an e-mail to ActOnEnergyResidential@Ameren.com.
Contacts: Leigh Morris, 1-214-535-5228, lmorris@ameren.com; Jason Mazotti, Rene's Drug Store, 1-217-824-5323; David Cowell, Anderson Jewelers, 1-217-824-5454.
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Ameren Illinois delivers energy to 1.2 million electric and 813,000 natural gas customers in Downstate Illinois, and our mission is to meet their energy needs in a safe, reliable, efficient and environmentally responsible manner. Our service area covers more than 1,200 communities and 43,700 square miles. For more information, visit AmerenIllinois.com.
Note: Since launching the Act On Energy program in 2008, Ameren Illinois has provided more than $10 million in incentives to help business customers save more than $17 million in annual energy costs. The energy efficiency program is funded through a small, state-mandated charge on customer bills (Rider EDR for electricity customers and Rider GER for natural gas customers).