Con Edison: newsroom - news release - LEDs Light the Way to Holiday Savings

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Con Edison Media Relations
For Immediate Release: November 24, 2009
2:30 p.m.

LEDs LIGHT THE WAY TO HOLIDAY SAVINGS

NEW YORK – Whether you’re celebrating Chanukah, Christmas, Solstice or Kwanzaa, Con Edison wishes all of its customers a happy and safe holiday season, and recommends decorating homes and offices with energy-efficient LED (light emitting diode) holiday lights.

Using LED lights instead of traditional incandescent bulbs will help customers save on electric bills and help “green” the environment. LED lights use up to 98 percent less electricity than older bulbs, which means fewer carbon emissions in the atmosphere. LED lights stay cool to the touch and last up to 20 times longer than traditional bulbs.

Con Edison also encourages customers to make safety a top priority when installing holiday lights, by following some simple tips:

Make sure that holiday lights carry the seal of approval of a recognized safety-testing laboratory, such as Underwriters Laboratories (UL).

Outdoor displays require outdoor, exterior-rated extension cords, fixtures, and bulbs. Install or adjust outdoor electrical displays only during dry weather.

Before reusing electrical devices kept in storage, inspect for worn or frayed areas and breaks or brittleness, particularly at the plugs and connections. Replace defective lights and cords. Throw out any frayed wires or extension cords.

To avoid electric overloads, use extension cords sparingly.

Do not place cords around or near metal pipes, appliances, or anything that is damp or metallic. Turn off electrical devices when making adjustments.

Avoid running cords under rugs, through doorways, or near furniture where they may be stepped on, tripped over, or broken.

For more safety tips, visit http://www.coned.com/customercentral/safetytip.asp. Customers are also encouraged to visit the company’s Power of Green Web site at http://www.coned.com/thepowerofgreen/tips/001.asp or become a fan of the Power of Green on Facebook at www.facebook.com/powerofgreen.

Con Edison is a subsidiary of Consolidated Edison, Inc. [NYSE: ED], one of the nation’s largest investor-owned energy companies, with approximately $14 billion in annual revenues and $34 billion in assets. The utility provides electric, gas and steam service to more than 3 million customers in New York City and Westchester County, New York. For additional financial, operations and customer service information, visit Con Edison’s Web site at www.conEd.com.

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