MAYS LANDING, N.J. - Atlantic City Electric plans to activate an Energy Wise Rewards test event Thursday, June 7. The Energy Wise Rewards program is designed to help the Atlantic City Electric reduce load on high peak-use days by cycling participants' air conditioners or heat pumps off. By having a test event, Atlantic City Electric can confirm all processes are working properly.  To minimize customer impact, Atlantic City Electric will run Thursday's test between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Energy Wise Rewards is a voluntary program that offers customers a choice of a programmable thermostat or an outdoor switch, which the utility installs at no charge to the customer. During summer periods of peak electric demand, Energy Wise Rewards works to reduce electricity usage by cycling central air conditioner compressors off for short periods of time during periods of peak electricity use. Atlantic City Electric customers receive a $50 one-time incentive bill credit for voluntarily signing up to allow the utility to cycle their equipment a few days each year.

Before any actual events this summer, Atlantic City Electric plans to issue a notice through the media a day in advance, as well as posting a notification on atlanticcityelectric.com. During load control events, only the air conditioner or heat pump compressor is cycled. The fan continues to run. Most participants notice little, if any, temperature change in their homes. However, during the load control test, or during any Peak Saving Day in the future, customers can minimize temperature changes further by:

• Running ceiling fans;
• Closing window curtains or shades to prevent the sun from heating the interior air and to reduce cooled air loss through cracks around the windows;
• Delaying the operation of dishwashers or laundry machines until after the load control event is over to avoid adding both heat and humidity to the area;
• Turning off unused TVs, computers, printers, and incandescent light bulbs to avoid adding more heat to the house.

Atlantic City Electric has about 25,000 Energy Wise Rewards participants across its service territory, which encompasses the eight counties of Southern New Jersey.

For more information or to enroll in the Energy Wise Rewards Program, visit www.atlanticcityelectric.com/rewards or call 1-866-355-4229.


Atlantic City Electric, a public utility owned by Pepco Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: POM), provides safe, reliable and affordable regulated electric delivery services to more than 547,000 customers in southern New Jersey.