FirstEnergy Offers Tips for Electricity Conservation in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, and West Virginia

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Jul 21, 2011, 11:49 ET

AKRON, Ohio, July 21, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- With hot and humid weather predicted to continue throughout the region, FirstEnergy Corp.'s (NYSE: FE) utility companies are offering tips to help customers save money, keep cool and conserve electricity.

Consider setting air conditioners a few degrees warmer on hot days. Every degree you add to your interior temperature in the summer can reduce your energy usage by up to 3 percent.
Close drapes or blinds on windows that receive direct sunlight. Blocking the sun's rays reduces the temperature in your home, which means your air conditioner has less work to do.
Close air conditioning registers in unused rooms and keep the doors to those rooms closed. This will reduce the amount of energy your air conditioner will use to maintain your home's temperature.
Don't position heat-producing appliances near wall-mounted thermostats. Doing so will make your air conditioner run longer than necessary to maintain your preferred temperature.
Turn off electric appliances and equipment that you do not need or are not using.
Postpone using major electric household appliances, such as stoves, dishwashers and clothes dryers until the cooler, evening hours.
Cook with the microwave instead of the oven. Traditional ovens require far more energy than microwaves, and they produce substantial heat inside your home, making your air conditioner run longer.

Demand for electricity is expected to increase as the excessive heat and humidity continue this week. PJM Interconnection – the regional power pool operator – and FirstEnergy will continue to monitor conditions throughout the week and will request assistance as necessary.

FirstEnergy is a diversified energy company dedicated to safety, reliability and operational excellence. Its ten electric distribution companies comprise the nation's largest investor-owned electric system. Its diverse generating fleet features non emitting nuclear, scrubbed baseload coal, natural gas, and pumped storage hydro and other renewables, and has a total generating capacity of approximately 24,000 megawatts.

SOURCE FirstEnergy