Dominion Announces Energy Conservation Programs for 2010

Dominion Virginia Power has asked the Virginia State Corporation Commission to approve 12 new energy efficiency and demand reduction programs, including full scale deployment of smart meters, and our plan for meeting the state’s voluntary renewable power generation goal.

Smart meters will revolutionize the delivery of electricity and save our Virginia customers more than a billion dollars. Other conservation programs will provide our customers with additional options for saving energy and controlling their electricity bills.

Taken together, we expect these programs to save our customers at least $1.2 billion over the next 15 years. They will hold down our costs for fuel, purchased power and new plant – and these savings will be passed along to our customers in addition to the savings they will experience on their own bills.

By 2024, they are expected to reduce total electricity consumption in Virginia by 2.4 million megawatt hours and cut carbon dioxide emissions by 15 million tons, or the equivalent of removing approximately 165,000 cars from the road for a 15-year period, according to a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimate.

Dominion has already been active in developing renewable power sources. We currently have approximately 1,500 megawatts of renewable generation – enough to power 375,000 homes -- in production or under development.

Read the full press release.

10 FREE Tips to Avoid Dog Days of Summer

Check out these tips to avoid the dog days of summer and to save energy.

• Go to the river to cool off and enjoy the outdoors.
• Keep the thermostat up and fans on in the rooms people are in to keep cool.
• Keep the shades down to avoid excess sunlight into a cool house during day.
• Run large appliances, like the washer and dryer, at night.
• Turn off lights and use natural lighting whenever possible.
• Grill and eat outside.
• Cut your grass in the evening or early morning.
• Go window shopping at the mall or any place that provides a cool environment.
• Walk your pets early in the morning or late at night to prevent them from overheating.
• Always stay hydrated! If you’re thirsty, you’re already dehydrated.

Green Power - Status Update

Wanted to drop in and give you a status on the voluntary Green Power program we’re offering to our Virginia customers. You might recall the blog post on February 9, “Support Green Power” which gave an overview of the program that became available to customers in January of this year.

Things are going great for the program! More than 2,500 households and businesses have enrolled already - and we’re just getting started! The majority of these participants have enrolled in the 100% option.

The renewable energy supported by these customers has already made a BIG difference - these Green Power customers have prevented the release of 8,181,659 pounds of carbon dioxide so far this year. Yes, you read that right - more than 8 million pounds. That’s like taking 674 cars off the road for a year.

By the end of the year, with support for new Green Power customers who are continuing to enroll every month, we expect to more than quadruple the impact this program has had so far.

If you’re a Dominion customer and want to enroll in the program or learn more about your renewable energy options, visit www.dom.com, keyword: Green Power.

We look forward to seeing the enrollment number grow!

Find Ways To Save With Replacement Windows

Windows are a large investment but one that comes with many advantages. By replacing your windows, not only could you save on your energy bills (which saves you money) you can also save on your taxes if you apply those new windows as part of the energy efficiency tax credit.

If you have an older house, putting in more energy efficient windows can definitely save energy, money, and even upgrade the appearance of your home. For general information on this topic, check out the U.S. Department of Energy website.

Grilling Out/Oven Tips

Boy it’s getting hot outside!!

These temperatures want to make me stay at the pool all evening long and cool off. On the days when I’m not at the pool after work, I come home to fix dinner. But in these hot days, I’ve learned a really simple tip to keep my bills down.

When it’s hot out, avoid using the oven. It’s that simple. The oven, even when closed, emits out a tremendous amount of heat and it lingers in the kitchen. Instead of sweating bullets and cranking up the AC, consider grilling out! If you can’t grill out, consider a ‘cookless’ meal.

How about these two options:

• Chicken and Bacon Shish Kabobs
• Holly’s Hummus

We also got some great tips from our “Ditch the stove” post in 2008.

Solar Powered LED Landscape Lights

This past spring and even through these summer months, I have been working on establishing a garden oasis in my backyard. It is gratifying to have gone from a bare backyard, to manicured mulch beds with flowers and shrubs.

The other day I was looking for some finishing touches to really make my backyard "shine."

Besides the new comfy lounge chairs I put set up, I also bought some landscape lights to illuminate my yard at night.

A visit to my local hardware store was successful. I found a solar powered LED landscape accent light. Each light (in a pack of 8) has a small solar panel on the top of the light that gathers energy to charge a battery during the day to illuminate the single LED at night.

Installation was easy, just stick them in ground!

With LED’s leading the way in new lighting technology and being able to capture the sun’s energy, my backyard is growing green and shining green.

Laundry Tips

Using the dryer during the day adds heat to the home. Instead, try to do your laundry during the evening when the home is cooling down with the evening air. That way the air conditioner is not working overtime by cooling a home that keeps adding heat from the use of the dryer.

If your housing allotment ordinances allow, consider installing a clothes line. This is a great way to get the fresh scent in your clothes the natural way. Remember, this is one of New Year’s Resolution tips.

As far as the washer goes, wash your clothes in cold water - the water heater won’t have to work as hard, saving energy. You don’t have to worry about your clothes not getting as clean, because they make laundry detergent that is just as effective when used in cold water.

Do CFLs Work In Dimmer Switches?

This is a great question and one we get a lot. The short answer is yes.

But, before buying check the product labeling. The product packaging will say if it works in a dimmer switch. Dimming a CFL that is not labeled to work with a dimmer switch will significantly shorten its life.

For more CFL purchasing tips, you can visit the ENERGY STAR website.

You can find dimmable CFLs at most any retail outlet. If you are a VA resident, why not stop at Home Depot and take advantage of the CFL discount program courtesy of Dominion?

New Year’s Resolution Tip #7 of 12 - Keep Your Thermostat at 78 Degrees

Estimated Cost: $0.00

Ease of Install: Very Easy

Other Notes: In the summer, cooling your house can require a tremendous amount of electricity, costing you big bucks. Instead of cranking the AC to the point you’re wearing sweatpants and a parka, try keeping your home at 78 degrees and turning ceiling fans on.

Having the fans on uses less energy than having the AC produce all of the cool air, yet, makes the room feel up to 10 degrees cooler. But don’t forget, turn the ceiling fan off when you leave the room…it’s cooling you, not the room.

Be sure to share this page to help others conserve energy and save money.