Duke Energy offers customers incentives to reduce air-conditioning use

Duke Energy is offering to pay its residential customers to reduce their air-conditioning use. The company's Power Manager Program provides financial incentives to customers who participate. The program helps the company delay the need to build new power plants, which helps lower electricity costs for all customers.

Duke Energy will install a free load management switch on a customer's outside central airconditioning compressor unit. This switch will allow the company to remotely cycle the customer's air-conditioning system off a few minutes every half hour on days when demand for electricity is critical. If the unit is cycled off and on, it would most likely be from mid-morning through early evening. Duke Energy may cycle off the air conditioner once or twice a month, or, in the case of mild weather, not at all. The program's season runs from May 1 through Sept. 30.

To be eligible for the program, customers must: +Own their own home +Have a functional central airconditioning unit with an outside air compressor +Live in an area with commercial paging coverage (which enables remote cycling).

Depending on the option chosen, participating customers receive a one-time credit of $25 or $35 for allowing installation of the switch as well as additional electric bill credits each day Duke Energy cycles off their airconditioning system.

"The Power Manager program helps lower costs without sacrificing comfort," said Deanna Bowden, project manager for the program. "Air-conditioning units are switched on and off in small increments so that customers notice very little temperature difference. The program is part of our overall efforts that help delay the need for new power plants."

Customers interested in signing up or learning more can call tollfree, 877-392-4848.