Recycle room air conditioners and dehumidifiers for rewards on May 20 in Columbia, Md.

BALTIMORE (May 18, 2017) – This spring, Baltimore Gas and Electric Company (BGE) customers are continuing to benefit from lower total bills resulting primarily from dropping electric commodity prices and customers reducing their energy use.  On June 1, when new standard offer service rates go into effect, residential electric customers who purchase their electricity from BGE will see a bill reduction of nearly $8 a month over the previous year. This continues a long term trend of falling energy prices, with customers paying less today for the energy supply portion of their bill than they did in 2007. 

"In addition to lower energy supply prices, customers have also been making their homes and businesses increasingly more efficient, saving energy, and driving down demand, which contributes to lower overall prices," said Chris Walls, manager of residential energy efficient programs for BGE. "Not only is that great for customers, but it also contributes to power grid reliability and avoided air emissions." 

Replacing older, less efficient air conditioners and dehumidifiers in exchange for rewards is one way customers can save.  Customers who are spring cleaning and looking to get rid of old, working room air conditioners (A/C) and dehumidifiers can drop them off at BGE's recycling event this Saturday, May 20 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Columbia SportsPark, located at 5453 Harpers Farm Road in Columbia, Md. The event will be held rain or shine, and BGE representatives will be on hand to unload the eligible appliances from customers' vehicles.  Units must be in working condition to be eligible.

For each appliance recycled, customers will receive a $25 reward from the BGE Smart Energy Savers Program® for up to two air conditioning units and/or dehumidifiers per residential account.  Customers will receive the reward in the mail approximately four to six weeks after the event. More information is available at BGESmartEnergy.com/RecycleMyAC or by calling 866.898.1901.

Recycling your old air conditioners and dehumidifiers helps prevent them from entering landfills, where they can release harmful toxins and greenhouse gases into the environment.

Here are other ways customers can spring into savings:

• Schedule a BGE Quick Home Energy Check-up: A BGE Quick Home Energy Check-up (QHEC)  is a fast, easy way to increase the energy efficiency of your home and help you start saving immediately. When you schedule a QHEC, one of BGE's energy efficiency professionals will come to your home and check the condition of insulation, heating and air cooling systems, lighting, appliances and more to identify simple ways to help you save energy and money!
• Cash in on rebates: By purchasing select ENERGY STAR® certified appliances and other qualifying high-efficiency heating and cooling equipment, customers can get rebates from BGE.
• Upgrade your insulation: Insulating and air sealing your home can significantly reduce your heating and cooling costs, while increasing the comfort in your home.
• Consider the benefits of the right tree in the right place: Proper selection and placement of trees, shrubs, and vines adds attractiveness and also helps lower heating and cooling costs.
• Prepare your thermostat for the warmer weather: Adjust your thermostat so it is no lower than 78 during warmer months and change the air filter on your heating and cooling system regularly.

The BGE Smart Energy Savers Program also offers a $50 reward for recycling old working refrigerators and freezers. To participate, customers can contact BGE to schedule a pickup, and BGE will haul away old refrigerators and freezers at no additional cost.  Each household is limited to recycling two refrigerators or freezers through this program. Appliances must be in working (cooling) condition and measure 10 to 30 cubic feet, which is the standard size for most refrigerators and freezers. Room air conditioning units and dehumidifiers also may be recycled through this program, but only if picked up at the same time as an eligible refrigerator or freezer. Appointments are required and can be scheduled at BGERecycleMyOldFridge.com or by calling 866.898.1901.

The BGE Smart Energy Savers Program is a suite of programs that enable customers to control     energy use, leading to more efficient use of electricity and lowering energy bills from where they otherwise would be. Collectively, the programs help contain the cost of energy and improve reliability. The programs also help to reduce peak demand and slow the growth in energy consumption to lessen the need for more power plants. BGE offers energy-saving solutions for renters, homeowners, large and small business customers, nonprofits and institutional customers. More information is available at BGESmartEnergy.com. These programs support the EmPOWER Maryland Energy Efficiency Act.

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BGE, founded in 1816 as the nation's first gas utility, is Maryland's largest natural gas and electric utility. Headquartered in Baltimore, BGE delivers power to more than 1.25 million electric customers and more than 650,000 natural gas customers in central Maryland. The company's approximately 3,200 employees are committed to the safe and reliable delivery of natural gas and electricity, as well as enhanced energy management, conservation, environmental stewardship and community assistance. The company also has an estimated annual economic impact of $5 billion of output in its service area, supporting more than 9,500 local jobs and producing $923 million in labor income. BGE is a subsidiary of Exelon Corporation (NYSE: EXC), the nation's leading competitive energy provider. Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter, YouTube  and Flickr.