Energy company giving away free low-energy light bulbs

[liberal N proud]

The catch, there will be a 60 cent charge on customers' bills for the next three years.

FirstEnergy Bulb Giveaway To Cost Customers
Power Company Handing Out 4 Million Low-Energy Bulbs

AKRON, Ohio - FirstEnergy Corp. plans to provide nearly 4 million low-energy light bulbs to its residential electricity customers in Ohio.

Akron-based FirstEnergy said Monday that distribution will begin in mid-October. Two compact fluorescent light bulbs will be mailed or hand-delivered to residential customers of Ohio Edison, Cleveland Electric Illuminating Co. and Toledo Edison.

The cost of the program will be underwritten by customers, who FirstEnergy said can recover three times the cost through projected energy savings. Reports indicate that there will be a 60 cent charge on customers' bills for the next three years.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33185114/ns/local_news-cleveland_oh/

[OneTenthofOnePercent]

1. Bullshit... $21 for 2 bulbs.

"Reports indicate that there will be a 60 cent charge on customers' bills for the next three years."
I would rather just buy 2 more bulbs at a lesser rate than receive 2 POS bulbs at inflated pricing.

Every time a light burns out at home a CFL replaces it... no sense in wasting old lights already in use.
My wife doesn't like them and claims they put out "different" light she can't stand.
I just discreetly replace them one by one. She doesn't notice. :D
The better ones imitate incandescent or natural lighting much better than in the past.

[liberal N proud]

2. I agree with your wife on the light...

I cannot read with the CFL light bulbs.

Think about this plan, I don't think we can opt out of it. Its a back door rate increase in a market that is already higher than it should be.

[DJ13]

3. The ratings of CFL's (15w same light as 60w old style) seems to be a lie

We tried the 100w equivalent (26w I think) and it was at least 1/3 dimmer than the old bulb it replaced in our house.

I had to buy 150w equivalent bulbs to come close to the light from the old 100w incandescent bulbs.

[OneTenthofOnePercent]

4. agreed.

The big thing that attracts me is the ling life promise.
I like that I will not have to replace lights all the time.
Energy savings is a bonus IMO.

[Ms. Toad]

5. Here's today's take on it

http://www.ohio.com/business/63712912.html

>>The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio told FirstEnergy Wednesday to postpone a program to distribute compact fluorescent light bulbs and charge its customers.

The move came after intense criticism from customers and lawmakers and a call from Gov. Ted Strickland to delay the program.

The utility responded by saying it would discuss the plan with the commission, but was not necessarily postponing it. It is set to begin Monday.<<

I am not happy. Somehow I must have been sleeping - I wasn't aware of this until it was the banner headline this morning.