Incentive Increased to $50 for Xcel Energy's Refrigerator Recycling Program

DENVER, Feb. 22, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Xcel Energy residential electric customers in Colorado with old, inefficient secondary refrigerators now have an even better reason to participate in the already established Refrigerator Recycling Program – the incentive has increased to $50 from $35.

Through this program, administered by Appliance Recycling Centers of America (ARCA), Inc., customers can have their spare, working refrigerator picked up, free of charge, and properly recycled. The new $50 recycling incentive is automatically mailed to the customer within three to four weeks after pick up.

"While that spare refrigerator in the basement or garage may provide additional storage, it may not be worth the additional cost on your electric bill," says Emily Pearl, Xcel Energy program manager.  "We want to make it easy for our customers to help the environment and save money, and we hope the added monetary incentive will make the decision even easier for our customers."

Through Xcel Energy's Program, refrigerators are properly destroyed and recycled, preventing them from entering a landfill. To date, more than 3,300 refrigerators have been properly recycled, equivalent to carbon dioxide emissions from 487* passenger vehicles. The program is scheduled to run until Dec. 31, 2011.

For more information on Xcel Energy's Refrigerator Recycling Program, please visit ResponsibleByNature.com/Fridge or call 866.552.8755.

About Xcel Energy

Xcel Energy (NYSE: XEL) is a major U.S. electricity and natural gas company that provides a comprehensive portfolio of energy-related products and services to 3.4 million electricity customers and 1.9 million natural gas customers through its regulated operating companies in eight Western and Midwestern states. Company headquarters are located in Minneapolis. More information is available at xcelenergy.com.

About ARCA

ARCA (Nasdaq: ARCI) (www.ARCAInc.com), one of the nation's largest recyclers of major household appliances for the energy conservation programs of electric utilities, currently provides services for 150 utility programs in the U.S. and Canada. Toxic chemicals and environmentally harmful materials such as ozone-depleting refrigerants, PCBs, mercury and oil are carefully recovered in the appliance decommissioning process for destruction or disposal, preventing them from contaminating soil, air and water resources.

*Source: www.epa.gov. Emissions calculation were based on the 2009 CO2 intensity rate for PSCO and reflects owned and purchased generation for that year.

SOURCE Appliance Recycling Centers of America

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