CUT THE CORD:
Program Pays Residents to Unplug Old Appliances
Itâs an unseen staple of many American homes: the puttering spare refrigerator or freezer. Once the crown jewel of the kitchen, these appliances were replaced by newer versions and moved to another space because, well, they still work. Sort of. Reassuring as extra food storage might be, old inefficient appliances can cost households every month in energy costs. Whatâs worse, they create a drain on the Cityâs grid and can contribute to higher energy costs in the future. âThe Westerville Electric Division purchases power from the market, but the cost of transmission and other bill components are largely out of Westervilleâs control. Those prices are based on, among other things, power consumption,â said Chris Monacelli, the Cityâs Electric Utility Manager. âSo it works to everyoneâs advantage to get inefficient appliances off the grid.â Through the Cityâs appliance recycling program, residents can receive a $50 pre-paid VISA gift card or digital debit card download in exchange for their old, working refrigerator or freezer. The City will even handle arranging the heavy lifting and safe recycling. Launched in 2017, Westerville residents have recycled more than 1,500 refrigerators and freezers through the program. The appliances recycled/removed from the grid resulted in a decrease of more than 840,000 kWh in annual usage or more than $90,000 per year in energy costs for consumers. Please note that pick-ups were temporarily put on hold with respect to the stateâs social distancing orders. However, interested parties may still arrange to be added to the programâs waitlist. Learn more at www.westerville.org/takemyfridge. Schedule a free pick-up and claim an easy $50 today.
ELECTRIC DIV ISION
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