One More Reason to Love the Weekend - Free Power Saturday

Direct Energy's Newest Product Encourages Customers to Control Electricity Costs

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Oct 10, 2011, 09:57 ET

PITTSBURGH, Oct. 10, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Joan Mahoney didn't think twice. When she saw an innovative product that gave her control over her energy bill, she called and became the first customer for the first ever product offering of this kind from an energy marketer in Pennsylvania.

Direct Energy's newest product, Free Power Saturday, is a no frills product that does exactly what it says –customers aren't charged for the power they use on Saturdays.

"I see real value here," says Mahoney. "And I love the idea that savings are up to me. I used to do all of my laundry on Sundays, but that is about to change."

"This is the real benefit to energy deregulation and competition in Pennsylvania – innovative products that benefit consumers," said Cory Byzewski, vice president and general manager for Direct Energy. "We feel that we have developed a very consumer friendly, easy to use product that brings value to our customers' lives. Free Power Saturday puts the control to save where it belongs -in the customer's hands."

Byzewski went on to say that Direct Energy's Free Power Saturday Plan is designed to encourage consumers to reduce electricity consumption during higher-priced weekly peak hours. Traditionally, weekends are considered part of off-peak periods, when electricity rates, consumption and demand are low. "This concept is not unlike those that are prevalent in the telecommunications and airline industry when prices are lowest during low-demand, off-peak periods of time."

Customers who are willing and able to move some of their high electricity consumption activities to Saturday will see real savings. For instance, if you dry two loads of clothes using your electric dryer on Saturday instead of another day during the week, you can save approximately $50 a year, compared to what it would otherwise cost you to dry those two loads during the rest of the week, on this product.

"You can be creative as possible when it comes to shifting electricity consumption to Saturday," said Byzewski, "over the course of a year, it all adds up."

Byzewski noted that this is just the beginning. "While we are very excited about Free Power Saturday, we aren't stopping there. We are hoping to have similar, new innovative product offerings in market before the end of the year."

He added, "Research tells us that only a 10% shift from on-peak to off-peak electricity consumption by our projected consumers will reduce market costs by 1%. Last year, PPL customers paid $3.2 billion for electricity and the 1% reduction translates into savings of more than $30 million dollars. That's $10 for every residence, whether they participated in our product or not."

Free Power Saturday is a 12 month product with no cancellation fee. Customers who enroll on this product with Direct Energy will continue to be responsible for utility charges and applicable taxes on the power used on their free Saturdays. To find out more, consumers can visit http://bit.ly/FreePowerSaturday71

About Direct Energy:

Direct Energy is one of North America's largest energy and energy-related services providers with more than 6 million residential and commercial customer relationships. Direct Energy provides customers with choice and support in managing their energy costs through a portfolio of innovative products and services. A subsidiary of Centrica plc (LSE:CNA), one of the world's leading integrated energy companies, Direct Energy operates in 46 U.S. states plus the District of Columbia and 10 provinces in Canada.

SOURCE Direct Energy