Deck The Halls & Go Green Too!

The holiday season is here… and with the holidays comes decorating! PECO offers helpful information to get in the holiday spirit, save money, help the environment, and stay safe.

Following is an easy way to help calculate energy costs this holiday season:

1. Count the number of bulbs on your indoor tree and all of your other decorative indoor and outdoor lights. For example, 1000
2. Check the wattage per bulb -- one watt per bulb is common. For example, 1 watt
3. Multiply watts per bulb by number of bulbs. For example 1,000 x 1 = 1,000
4. Convert to kilowatts (kW) – 1000 watts equals 1 kilowatt. For example, 1 kW
5. Estimate the number of hours in a month the lights are on. For example, 5 hours per day x 30 days = 150 hours.
6. Multiply the total kilowatts by the total number of hours the lights will be on to get the total kilowatt-hours (kWh). For example, 1 kW x 150 hours = 150 kWh
7. Multiply the total kilowatt-hours by the total cost of electricity. For typical PECO customers, the total cost for generation, transmission and distribution of their electricity is 15 cents per kilowatt-hour. For example, 150 kWh x .15 = $22.50

In our example, the total cost of holiday lighting would be an additional $22.50.

To save money on your holiday lighting, consider using LED (light emitting diode) lights. LED holiday lights use up to 90 percent less energy than traditional lights. A selection of LED holiday lights, and other energy saving products, is available at a 20 percent discount for PECO customers at www.peco.com/SAVE.

This holiday, PECO also is helping the community use less energy, save money and help the environment. The company is supporting many area holiday events including:

Peddler’s Village

Get into the holiday spirit as thousands of tiny white lights outline the many Village buildings, shops and trees now through the New Year. Kids can stop by to make a PECO GREEN holiday ornament and display them for all to see on the Village Green. For more info visit www.peddlersvillage.com.

Shady Brook Farm Light Show

Nearly 2 million lights illuminate acres of farmland in historic Bucks County. From dusk to 10 p.m. visitors can drive through the display or take a moonlit hayride on select dates. All proceeds benefit the Salvation Army and the MS Society. For more info visit www.shadybrookfarm.com.

Delaware County Festival of Lights for Peace

Dedicated to American troops serving oversees, this year’s Festival of Lights for Peace is lit with more than 10,000 LED lights – the newest in environmental holiday lighting. The Festival takes place through January 10 from 5:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. in Rose Tree Park. For more info visit www.co.delaware.pa.us.

2009 Joy of Sharing Toy Collection with The Salvation Army

As the 2009 Holiday Partner, PECO is joining hands with The Salvation Army to brighten the holiday for those less fortunate. To participate in the 16^th Annual Joy of Sharing Toy Collection Campaign donate a new, unwrapped toy at any Salvation Army donation location. For more information visit www.salvationarmy.org

Fourth Annual Bucks County Holiday TreeFest

Get in the holiday spirit by viewing more than 20 professionally decorated trees at the Bucks County Holiday TreeFest. The festival takes place now through January 9 at The Bucks County Conference & Visitors Bureau now through Jan. 9, 2010. For more info visit www.visitbuckscounty.com.

Chamber of Commerce of Greater West Chester 30th Annual Old-Fashioned Christmas

Celebrate the season with old-fashioned holiday activities in West Chester, through Dec. 6. Activities include the lighting of the Community Christmas tree, sponsored by PECO, the Jingle Elf Run, Christmas parade and breakfast with Santa. For more information: www.gwcc.org.

While decorating, PECO also reminds customers to be safe as they get festive. The following tips and suggestions will help ensure a safe holiday season:

Decorative Lighting:

• Only decorate with lights that have a NOEL or U/L testing agency label. Check wires, plugs and sockets for defects. Remember: If in doubt – throw them out.
• Do not overload outlets and extension cords.
• Don’t run electric cords under carpet, seat cushions or anywhere they may be crushed or broken.
• Keep electric cords and extension cords out of the reach of children.
• Turn off all decorative lights when going to bed or leaving the house.

Outdoor Lighting:

• Be sure decorative lights used outside are approved for outdoor use.
• Outdoor lights should be hung with insulated staples or hooks rather than nails or tacks.
• When decorating outdoors, be aware of all power lines. Don’t work near overhead power lines or anywhere there is a possibility of contacting an overhead power line, either directly or indirectly with a ladder or other piece of equipment. Do not string lights on outdoor trees that are growing into or near power lines -- entire trees may become energized if lights come in contact with a power line.

PECO wishes all its customers a safe, bright and energy efficient holiday season!

Based in Philadelphia, PECO is an electric and natural gas utility subsidiary of Exelon Corporation (NYSE:EXC). PECO serves 1.6 million electric and 485,000 natural gas customers in southeastern Pennsylvania and employs about 2,400 people in the region. PECO delivered 83.7 billion cubic feet of natural gas and 39.4 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity in 2008. Founded in 1881, PECO is one of the Greater Philadelphia Region's most active corporate citizens, providing leadership, volunteer and financial support to numerous arts and culture, education, environmental, economic development and community programs and organizations.

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