(LOUISVILLE, Ky. - June 22, 2005) With the first official week of summer, hot weather is here to stay and that means people may be thinking about how the heat is affecting bills this summer. Louisville Gas & Electric Co. (LG&E) knows energy efficiency is important to customers at this time of year, because greater use of air conditioners and other electrical appliances means more kilowatt hours are consumed.

There are some simple things you can do to make your home more energy efficient.

• Close your draperies or blinds during the day to keep out sun and heat, particularly on the southern exposure side of the building. If outside temperatures fall to a comfortable level at night, open drapes and windows.
• Set your thermostat higher. For each additional degree you drop the thermostat below 78°, your cooling bill goes up between 5 and 8 percent.
• Turn off lights and appliances when they're not in use. Besides wasting electricity, they generate heat.
• Cook and use the clothes dryer early in the day, when temperatures are usually cooler.
• Use the microwave more because it's less likely to heat up the whole room.
• Use desk or ceiling fans. They won't lower the temperature, but they will cool your skin and make you more comfortable. A light breeze will make you feel about 7 degrees cooler.
• Here are a few ways to make your air conditioner more efficient.
• Get an air conditioner check up. Make sure it's operating at peak performance.
• Keep filters clean. Window units as well as central cooling units need the filters checked at least once a month.
• Vent your attic. Temperatures there can reach 150° if the air is trapped and that heat seeps down into the living spaces. Vents, especially powered vents that pull the hot air out of the attic, can reduce the load on your air conditioner.
• Locate window units on the shaded side of the house, where possible.
• Buy an energy-efficient air conditioner. Whenever you replace your old system, look for one with a high Energy Efficient Ratio (EER) or Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER). Newer, more efficient units may use one-fourth less electricity than older models.

Air conditioners are at the heart of a conservation program that will help ease the energy demand during very hot days. KU will reward you with up to $20 per year if you sign up for Demand Conservation.

When customers join Demand Conservation, KU installs a switch on the central A/C compressor that will cycle the unit off and on briefly during periods of peak electricity usage.

Cycling is limited to about 20 weekdays per summer, with the 'off' cycle lasting only a few minute each half hour in the mid to late afternoon. Air conditioners are never cycled on weekend or holidays. During the cycling process, the blower fan continues to run, keeping homes cool and comfortable. Most customers aren't even aware when cycling occurs.

Just call 1-866-857-2665, Ext. 200, to have the free device connected. In addition to being paid to participate, customers are helping hold down the cost of electricity, as the Demand Conservation Program ultimately results in less electricity being needed to meet customer demand on very hot summer days when it's more costly to produce.

Additional credits may be available for your electric water heater. To learn more, visit the company's website or call 1-866-857-2665, Ext. 200.



LG&E is a wholly-owned subsidiary of LG&E Energy LLC that serves 318,000 natural gas and 390,000 electric customers in Louisville, Ky., and 16 surrounding counties.