I was at the local Discount Drug Mart the other day. Something about this store is familiar, no matter when I go in. It is one of the few remaining places on earth where you can get sewing goods, canning supplies, groceries, drug store items, and RIT dye. So, as I am cruising to the check out, I spied an entire endcap of CFL bulbs. These two packs were on sale for $1! That’s just 50 cents a bulb folks. Using 75% less electricity than a conventional bulb, with little or no heat, this is a no brainer. I bought my limit of 3, even though I have a stock of them, because you cannot beat that price.
Upon closer inspection, I found these were bulbs from First Energy and it’s energy efficiency efforts. This was a public relations nightmare, regardless of the intentions. Apparently, we have a great loophole in our utilities laws. Rate increases have to be overseen and approved by the state. This keeps electric companies from strangle holding you with your electric bill. The loophole, though, is that you are paying for the energy separate from the cost to get the energy to you. The law allows utilities to raise rates to pay for loss of income from delivery fees when you use less energy. So, saving energy saves you less dollars than it should. So, when First Energy had to meet a mandated efficiency program, they decided to buy 3.25 million CFL bulbs and distribute them to their customers. They then raised the rates (I believe of just the delivery fees) to cover the costs. I call shenanigans on this type of lawmaking which allows utility companies to get around the laws that were put in place to protect consumers. Just as when cable companies were regulated, rather than raise rates, they made more channels premium to make you pay more per month.
I don’t know all the details of the First Energy mess, but apparently the Ohio governor had to get involved in the whole debacle. In the end, rather than hand delivering all these bulbs to individual First Energy (and it’s subsidiaries) customers, many ended up on the shelves at Marc’s, Discount Drug Mart, even Goodwill. All I know, is that I got my 6 bulbs, and I am set. Of course, I switched nearly every bulb in my house out to CFL’s a couple of years back and I have only had a single one burn out. I never miss the chance to take home a free bulb from Earth Day events, trade shows and the like. I will likely be set for the next decade! Now is a great time to star decreasing your electricity usage and get in on this great deal!
