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Cleco Watt Matters energy-savings campaign continues with a third focus area: Unplug It!

pod4@2x
Jun 27, 2022
Company shares how unplugging idle electronics and appliances can reduce energy usage

PINEVILLE, La. – June 27, 2022 – To increase energy savings, Cleco customers are encouraged to Unplug It! when it comes to idle electronics, appliances and other miscellaneous devices consuming electricity around-the-clock, even when they are not being used.

Unplug It! is the third focus area of Cleco’s energy-savings campaign, Watt Matters, a five-part series on residential programs and individual actions customers can take to use less energy and lower their monthly bills. It follows the second focus area, Turn It Off!, which encouraged customers to turn off lights and appliances when not in use, and the first focus area, Replace It!, which urged customers to replace outdated appliances and devices with energy efficient alternatives.

Each focus area is promoted in three-week increments. Over the next three weeks, Cleco will inform customers how idle devices, from TVs, lamps and coffee machines to larger appliances such as air conditioning window units, can still draw energy from the outlets they are plugged into, leading to energy waste and potentially higher bills.

Electric power consumed this way is known as “standby power,” and it accounts for five to 10 percent of residential energy use, costing the average American household up to $100 per year, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.

“The most unassuming household items are the ones that drain our energy supply and increase our bills,” said Andre Guillory, vice president and chief customer officer. “Cleco’s team of energy efficiency experts and customer experience representatives are excited to share more little-known details like this from our Watt Matters energy-saving campaign, as well as the benefits available through our Power Wise energy efficiency and Budget Billing programs.”

Watt Matters: Unplug It! Energy-Saving Tips
● Make an inventory of all electrical appliances and devices in each room of your living space. Then, unplug all equipment that is not used regularly. This strategy will help you reduce your standby power energy usage and save money.
● Use energy-saving devices such as advanced power strips and smart sockets to shut off energy to devices that are not in use. Visit www.cleco.com/wattmatters for more suggestions.
● Take Cleco’s quick online home energy audit to see where you can cut energy waste! Visit www.cleco.com/homeenergyaudit today.

About Watt Matters
Watt Matters is part of Cleco’s strategy to promote proactive energy conservation and efficiency throughout the organization’s service areas as well as in Louisiana. Watt Matters provides practical solutions through five focus areas that customers can implement ahead of and during the summer season. Each topic is dispersed in three-week increments, and customers are encouraged to actively engage with the series’ multimedia offerings to save energy and money. Media resources related to the Watt Matters campaign, including energy-saving solutions, b-roll footage, logos and more can be found at www.cleco.com/wattmatters.