Back to list Service & repair Feb 23, 2012 00:00 Leap Year Will Cost Texans In Electricity (02/23/2012) - It only comes once every four years, but when it does, Leap Year will cost Texans approximately $35.5 million in electricity costs for the extra day on the calendar. "A single day's worth of energy usage might not seem like a lot, but it adds up," said Jim Steffes, Vice President of Direct Energy. "This is the perfect opportunity to remind people that small changes in behavior at home can make a big difference at the end of the month. It's never too late to change habits." While on an individual basis, the millions of refrigerators, cooling and heating systems, dishwashers and washing machines that run each day will cost Texans a few dollars for the extra day, collectively, these costs add up: Dallas/Ft. Worth metroplex: more than $2.9 million Houston: more than $3.1 million Abilene: nearly $177,000 Midland: about $168,00 Corpus Christi: more than $454,000 Brownsville: about $191,000 Laredo: over $255,000 To help Texans better understand their energy usage at home and opportunities for savings, Direct Energy has an energy audit available at the Energy Saving Center online. In addition to using this tool, some of the top energy-saving measures for residential consumers generally include: Installing a programmable thermostat and setting it to decrease the number of times your cooling or heating system runs at night and when no one is home; for example, the U.S. Department of Energy suggests that you can save around 10 percent a year on your heating and cooling bills by simply turning your thermostat back 10°-15?° for eight hours while you're at work Unplug vampire electronics - devices including mobile phone chargers and computers that draw power from outlets even when they're turned off can add hundreds of dollars more to your annual electricity costs Switch from incandescent lighting to high efficiency compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs) and turn off all lights when leaving rooms; CFLs are 75 percent more efficient than incandescent bulbs, and last 10 times as long Replace air conditioner filters every month for maximum benefits. Dirty filters restrict airflow and can cause the system to run longer, increasing its energy use Set kilowatt goals for lowering energy consumption and track month-to-month and year over year Insulating the attic can reduce annual heating costs by 5 to 30 percent, depending on whether you're topping up existing insulation, or adding to an un-insulated attic Leaking ductwork can account for 25 percent of cooling costs in an average home, so have your ducts tested and have any leaks or restrictions repaired by a qualified contractor In addition to energy efficiency, further savings can be found by shopping around and choosing an electricity plan that best meets an individual home and family needs - from fixed-price and variable pricing plans, to renewable energy plans and even pre-paid plans that help consumers manage and control how much they spend monthly. About Direct Energy Direct Energy is one of North America's largest energy and energy-related services providers with over 6 million residential and commercial customer relationships. Through its Direct Energy, CPL Retail Energy and WTU Retail Energy brands, the company is the third-largest retail electricity provider in Texas. It owns three power generation facilities and a series of energy-related services. Direct Energy provides customers with choice and support in managing their energy costs through a portfolio of innovative products and services. A subsidiary of Centrica plc (LSE:CNA), one of the world's leading integrated energy companies, Direct Energy operates in 46 states and 10 provinces in Canada. Editor's note The total cost for Texas was calculated using the number of households in the respective cities (as reported in the 2010 US Census) multiplied by the PUCT's figures on average electricity consumption in February and an electricity rate of 9.34 cents per kWh (from the EIA's 2010 average residential rate for Texas). For further information or to schedule an interview with an expert, please contact: Shabina Zakaria Direct Energy 1-713-877-3611 Shabina.zakaria@directenergy.com Claire Monaghan Direct Energy 1-713-877-3572 Claire.monaghan@directenergy.com Direct Energy® is a subsidiary of Centrica plc. All rights reserved. Centrica was created following the demerger of British Gas plc in 1997 and is now a leading supplier of energy and related services. To read more about Centrica plc please visit www.centrica.com