Residential customers also can save $150 to $1,450 with rebates on gas equipment

BALTIMORE (Oct. 20, 2015) – BGE’s Smart Energy Savers Program® reminds eligible residential customers that now is the perfect time to make the switch to natural gas for home and water heating. Before the cold weather sets in and the holiday season gets underway, customers can begin making their homes more comfortable and energy efficient—and save big on connecting to natural gas.

For eligible customers, BGE’s Natural Gas Connection Program waives the fee—up to $2,000 based on their home’s proximity to BGE’s main gas line—to connect to natural gas, as long as a customer replaces their heat pump or electric water heater with a high-efficiency gas furnace or high-efficiency gas water heater. In addition, customers can save even more with rebates on high-efficiency heating and cooling equipment, as well as lower annual energy costs.

Equipment rebates are available as follows: 

• $150 rebate for installing an ENERGY STAR® certified gas water heater 
• $300 rebate for installing a high-efficiency gas furnace 
• $500–$1,000 rebate for installing a high-efficiency central air conditioning system

When it comes to energy costs, a high-efficiency gas water heater can save an average of $332 a year, while a high-efficiency gas furnace can save an average of $377 annually. Switching to a natural gas furnace and water heater, homeowners could save as much as 45 percent on energy costs annually compared to electric systems, depending on their home and existing equipment.*

“More than 900 residential customers have already enrolled to make the switch,” says Chris Walls, BGE’s manager of residential energy efficiency programs. “Eligible customers shouldn’t wait until their heat pump or water heater fails, but should act now to save money and energy. Even if they are not ready to replace their heat pump, they can replace their electric water heater with a high-efficiency natural gas water heater now, and still get the Natural Gas Connection discount.”

Now is the time to connect and make the switch to natural gas. To learn more about the Natural Gas Connection Program and to see if your home is eligible, please visit BGESmartEnergy.com/Gas or call 877-685-7377 to talk to a natural gas expert.

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.

* Actual savings may vary. Estimated savings are calculated based on BGE’s current blended winter and summer rates and assumes that customers convert both their heating and water heating systems to natural gas. See website for complete savings details.

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BGE, headquartered in Baltimore, is Maryland’s largest natural gas and electric utility, delivering 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. BGE is a subsidiary of Exelon Corporation (NYSE: EXC), the nation’s leading competitive energy provider, with 2014 revenues of approximately $27.4 billion. Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter, YouTube and Flickr.