As Temps Rise, Control Your AC Electricity Costs

Businesses and homeowners in Xcel Energy’s Minnesota territories have access to a program that can reduce electricity bills during summer cooling months (June – September).

The program is called Saver’s Switch. Here’s how it works: Xcel Energy installs, at no cost to the customer, small switch on the customer’s central air-conditioning compressor unit. On very hot days – when air-conditioning demand typically soars — Xcel Energy remotely turns on and off the air-conditioner’s compressor system on 15- to 20- minute intervals. The fan stays on, so the air continues to circulate while the compressor is off in order to minimize the chance anyone will notice the cooling system is off. In addition, because the Saver’s Switch controls like a thermostat, it will not damage the air conditioner or compressor.

In exchange for installing the switch, Xcel Energy business participants get a discount of $5 per enrolled ton of air-conditioning per month from June through September. This often comes out to a $100-per-summer discount on electric bills! The Saver’s Switch is installed on the AC unit by a qualified technician. (Residential Xcel Energy customers get a flat 15% discount on the electric energy charges on their electric bills from June through September.)

The Saver’s Switch program allows Xcel Energy to avoid buying high-priced electricity at peak-use times and reduces the risk of power outages due to excessive demand. On average, Saver’s Switch controls are used no more than 10 to 15 days over the course of a typical Minnesota summer.

According to Xcel Energy, most commercial customers have about 5 tons of air conditioning, which saves $100 each summer – customers with larger systems can save much, much more. For example, a Stillwater insurance agency saved 28% on summer energy charges.

Enroll your business in the Saver’s Switch program today or call Energy Smart at (651) 292-4652.