Winter Solstice is the Perfect Time to Make the Switch to Energy-Efficient Outdoor Lighting

Sunday, Dec. 21, marks the longest night of the year and an opportunity for electric customers to save money and the planet by switching out their outdoor light bulbs to energy-efficient compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs and investing in light emitting diode (LED) holiday lights, Puget Sound Energy recommended today. With nearly 16 hours of darkness on the Dec. 21 Winter Solstice and the holidays around the corner, porch lights and other forms of outdoor illumination will be left on longer than any other time of year.

"PSE recommends that customers mark the solstice by replacing the bulbs in their porch lights and other outdoor lighting fixtures and displays with energy-efficient outdoor lighting,” said Cal Shirley, vice president of Energy Efficiency Services for PSE. "It is an easy way for homeowners to better manage their electric bills and protect the planet.

"Our customers have been successful in saving up to $60 a year by changing just five indoor lights to CFLs,” added Shirley. "If they change just five more outdoor lights to CFLs, their annual savings can nearly triple and the lifetime savings of the bulbs can add up to more than $1,000.”

Many homes have outdoor lights at the front door, along walkways, at garage entrances and on back porches or decks. In winter, these lights can be on for as much as 16 hours a day, which would make the average nightly use throughout the year around 12 hours – or nearly 4,400 hours of illumination annually – making them the most-used lights in many homes.

"CFLs are a great choice for most homeowner’s outdoor lighting needs,” said Shirley. "In addition to saving energy, CFLs last up to five times longer than incandescent bulbs, making for easier home maintenance and more reliable safety.”

PSE has distributed over 8 million CFL bulbs throughout Western Washington in the past several years. In 2008, community volunteers in the City of Langley worked with PSE to distribute 600 CFL bulbs door-to-door to their neighbors, with the recommendation that residents replace high-use bulbs such as porch lights. An additional 200 CFL bulbs were discounted through local retailers, and the collective annual savings to the community will be over 137,000 kWh or enough to power a dozen homes for a year. Similar programs to replace outdoor bulbs through community engagement are planned for Jan. 2009 in Coupeville and elsewhere throughout the coming year.

A CFL bulb generally uses 75 percent less energy than a conventional bulb, while providing the same amount of illumination. New generation CFLs designed specifically for outdoor use are widely available, including styles that can be used with timers or motion and light sensors. For best results, including longest service life, homeowners should install only those lights recommended by the manufacturer for the given use.

"LEDs are becoming a popular choice for holiday decorating because they use 75 percent less energy than standard holiday lights, last 10 times longer and produce virtually no heat,” said Shirley. "With more and more homes and businesses using energy-efficient holiday lights, significant energy savings can be achieved in our region.”

For more information about CFL recycling locations and for PSE rebates and programs for CFL bulbs and fixtures, go to PSE.com or call a PSE Energy Advisor at 1-800-562-1482.

About Puget Sound Energy

Washington state’s oldest and largest energy utility, with a 6,000-square-mile service area stretching across 11 counties, Puget Sound Energy serves more than 1 million electric customers and nearly 750,000 natural gas customers. PSE, a subsidiary of Puget Energy (NYSE:PSD), meets the energy needs of its growing customer base primarily in Western Washington through incremental, cost-effective energy conservation, procurement of sustainable energy resources, and far-sighted investment in the energy-delivery infrastructure. PSE employees are dedicated to providing great customer service to deliver energy that is safe, reliable, reasonably priced, and environmentally responsible. For more information, visit www.PSE.com.