FORT WAYNE, Ind., Jan. 10, 2022 – It’s that time of year, when people make New Year’s resolutions about a variety of topics. However, some folks tend to stumble during the second week of the new year. Indiana Michigan Power (I&M) suggests its customers make a New Year’s resolution to be sustainable and save money all-year long, and is here to help customers. Customers can save money simply by reducing their energy use and participating in I&M’s clean energy programs. 

“Indiana Michigan Power is dedicated to providing safe, clean, reliable energy to our customers and communities, while also educating customers how to save money on their monthly bills,” said Heather Riggle, Energy Efficiency Residential Accounts manager. “I&M wants to offer a way customers can accomplish their New Year’s resolution to be more sustainable while saving some money.”

Riggle says, customers can do this by going to ElectricIdeas.com for hundreds of energy savings tips and participating in the company’s IM Green clean energy programs.” 

Enroll in IM Green: 

Customers can support a green energy future for their families and their communities by participating in the IM Green program, which enables them to purchase Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs), from I&M-owned facilities. This costs as little as pennies per day for an average residential customer.

I&M residential customers choose their participation level and receive information each year showing how much their carbon footprint was lowered. I&M can also collaborate with businesses and communities to customize green energy projects.

IM Green is a simple and easy way for customers to show their commitment to sustainability and renewable energy.

For more information on IM Green and how to enroll, visit IndianaMichiganPower.com/IMGreen.

Energy Efficiency

Since its launch in 2012, I&M customers have saved more than 4.7 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh) through I&M’s energy efficiency programs. That is enough to power almost 395,000 typical homes for an entire year.

Customers can take advantage of several rebate programs while making your home or business more energy efficient. Rebates are offered for some HVAC systems, water heaters, pool pumps, smart thermostats, dehumidifiers and more. Depending on the product, HVAC and energy-saving products can help customers save a little or a lot. For more information on rebate qualifications and to apply, visit ElectricIdeas.com/Products. 

I&M also has more than 100 energy-saving tips on ElectricIdeas.com/Tips for your home or business. Some are as simple as cleaning, fixing and inspecting energy equipment. Here are a few simple ways customers can ensure energy-saving resolutions stick through 2022: 

8 Easy Ways to Reduce Energy Usage:

• Set thermostat at the lowest comfortable setting. A customer can reduce heating costs 2-3% for each degree of adjustment. Changing the temperature from 72°F to 68°F could lower an energy bill by up to 10%.
• Change or clean the furnace filter once a month. Dust and dirt can quickly clog vital parts, making the furnace run harder and eventually break down.
• Have the heating system inspected regularly. A $50-$100 annual tune-up can help reduce heating costs by up to 5%.
• Vacuum registers and vents regularly. Don’t let furniture and draperies block the airflow.
• Leave drapes or blinds open during sunny days. This enables the sun to warm the house. Close them at night to help insulate the home.
• Switch to LED bulbs. LEDs use 90% less energy than typical incandescent bulbs and last 25 times longer. Replacing just five bulbs can save $75 a year.
• Set your water heater’s thermostat to 120 degrees. This will help reduce monthly water heating bills.
• Fix leaky faucets, especially if it’s a hot water faucet. One drop per second can add up to 165 gallons a month! That’s more than one person uses in two weeks.

For more tips, ideas and rebate offerings please visit ElectricIdeas.com.

Manage and Monitor Energy Use:

Customers can use the Indiana Michigan Power mobile app to manage their account. The app makes it easier for customers to stay on top of their energy usage and monthly bills. You can also report a power outage and get up-to-date-information on restoration efforts.

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ABOUT INDIANA MICHIGAN POWER: Indiana Michigan Power (I&M) is headquartered in Fort Wayne, and its approximately 2,100 employees serve more than 600,000 customers. More than 85% of its energy delivered in 2020 was emission-free.  I&M has at its availability various sources of generation including 2,278 MW of nuclear generation in Michigan, 450 MW of purchased wind generation from Indiana, more than 22 MW of hydro generation in both states, nearly 35 MW of large-scale solar generation in both states, and 2,620 MW of coal-fueled generation in Indiana.

ABOUT AMERICAN ELECTRIC POWER: American Electric Power, based in Columbus, Ohio, is focused on building a smarter energy infrastructure and delivering new technologies and custom energy solutions to our customers. AEP’s approximately 16,800 employees operate and maintain the nation’s largest electricity transmission system and more than 223,000 miles of distribution lines to efficiently deliver safe, reliable power to nearly 5.5 million regulated customers in 11 states. AEP also is one of the nation’s largest electricity producers with approximately 30,000 megawatts of diverse generating capacity, including more than 5,500 megawatts of renewable energy. AEP’s family of companies includes utilities AEP Ohio, AEP Texas, Appalachian Power (in Virginia and West Virginia), AEP Appalachian Power (in Tennessee), Indiana Michigan Power, Kentucky Power, Public Service Company of Oklahoma, and Southwestern Electric Power Company (in Arkansas, Louisiana, east Texas and the Texas Panhandle). AEP also owns AEP Energy, AEP Energy Partners, AEP OnSite Partners, and AEP Renewables, which provide innovative competitive energy solutions nationwide. For more information, visit aep.com.