ComEd customers in the Chicagoland area are on their way to saving more than $155 million in annual energy costs by taking advantage of the utility’s Smart Ideas energy--efficiency programs. In its first two years, the ComEd program has helped customers achieve more than 616,000 megawatt-hours (MWh) of energy savings. This is the equivalent of the energy required to power close to 75,000 homes for one year.

“While results from our second year still are being analyzed, the numbers indicate we are on target to achieve 453,000 MWh of energy savings, which is approximately 45 percent above our target,” said Val Jensen, vice president, marketing and environmental programs, ComEd.

ComEd launched its Smart Ideas programs in June 2008 to provide residential and business customers easy and accessible energy-efficient ways to manage their energy usage, save money and help the environment.

During the first year of the program, ComEd exceeded its energy reduction goals achieving 163,717 MWh of energy savings. This is the equivalent to the energy required to power close to 20,000 homes for one year. If ComEd meets its energy-reduction goals for all three of its program years, the programs will be among the best in the country in terms of electricity savings achieved through energy efficiency.
“When we launched our energy-efficiency programs in 2008, our goal was to achieve 0.2 percent reduction in total retail electricity used through the programs. By year five, we will be saving 1 percent every year,” Jensen said.

Through the Smart Ideas program, customers can purchase compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) at a discount at participating retailers. Through its online store, ComEd offers an array of energy-saving products at a 20 percent discount to its customers.