Progress Energy Florida Will Use Conservation Program This Weekend

Progress Energy Florida Will Use Conservation Program This Weekend

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., Sept. 2 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- During the Labor Day weekend, Progress Energy Florida urges customers to conserve power, especially during the hottest hours of the day.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20020923/CHM008LOGO-c )

Customers who participate in the Energy Management Program could experience periods over the holiday weekend, particularly during early afternoons and evenings, when their water heaters, pool pumps and air conditioners are controlled. About 300,000 Progress Energy customers participate in the program year-round.

The voluntary Energy Management Program helps reduce overall power demand by remotely controlling pool pumps, water heaters and air conditioners for short periods of time. Customers receive a discount on their monthly power bills for participating in this program. The program has been implemented each day since the statewide appeal for conservation began Tuesday and will continue until further notice.

"We appreciate our customers' continued patience," said Jeff Lyash, senior vice president for Energy Delivery in Florida. "Rest assured, this is a temporary inconvenience for Florida residents."

Because Hurricane Katrina impacted the supply of natural gas from the Gulf of Mexico, the Florida Reliability Coordinating Council (FRCC) and utilities across the state have asked Florida residents to conserve electricity. By reducing energy use, especially during the peak hours of afternoon and early evening, customers will help utilities conserve fuel used in power plants, which will ensure reliable power for everyone.

Progress Energy recommends the following tips to conserve energy:

- Set your thermostat on the highest comfortable setting. You'll also
save 7 to 10 percent on your cooling costs for each degree above 78.
- Change air conditioner filters monthly. Dirty filters can increase
operating costs.
- For central air conditioning systems, keep the fan switch on your
thermostat in the "auto" position when cooling. This gives you better
cooling and humidity control. Having the fan switch "on" continuously
could cost $25 extra on your monthly electric bill.
- Use ceiling and portable fans to keep air moving. Remember that ceiling
fans cool people, not rooms, so turn them off when leaving for the day
or extended periods.
- Close blinds, drapes and shades during the hottest part of the day.
This keeps the sun's rays from heating your house.
- Take showers instead of baths, and regulate the temperature by
decreasing the amount of cold water instead of adding hot water.
- The coils of your refrigerator should be clean, not clogged with dirt.
Check and clean the coils on a regular basis.
- A leaky gasket on your refrigerator door can greatly increase energy
use and cost. If you can feel cold air around the closed door or there
is a great deal of moisture collecting around the door, your
refrigerator is costing more than it should to operate.
- When possible, use your microwave or countertop appliances for cooking
instead of the oven or stove.

Progress Energy Florida, a subsidiary of Progress Energy (NYSE:PGN), provides electricity and related services to more than 1.5 million customers in Florida. The company is headquartered in St. Petersburg, Fla., and serves a territory encompassing over 20,000 square miles including the cities of St. Petersburg and Clearwater, as well as the Central Florida area surrounding Orlando. For more information about Progress Energy, visit the company's Web site at www.progress-energy.com.

Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20020923/CHM008LOGO-c
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com
Source: Progress Energy, Inc.

CONTACT: Progress Energy Florida 24-hour media line, +1-866-520-6397

Web site: http://www.progress-energy.com/

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