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PPL Electric Utilities is joining forces with electric companies throughout the state to kick off Pennsylvania’s first Oldest Refrigerator Contest and help customers earn some extra money.

To take part in the contest, PPL Electric Utilities customers simply have to sign up to have their refrigerator recycled through the utility’s E-power® appliance recycling program by calling 1-877-270-3522 or visiting www.pplelectric.com/recycle between April and August 2012. The program is limited to the removal of two units per household per calendar year. Refrigerators or freezers to be recycled must be in working order and between 10 and 30 cubic feet, using inside measurements.

The owner of the oldest refrigerator recycled through PPL Electric Utilities’ appliance recycling program during the contest will receive a $250 gift card toward ENERGY STAR® product purchases and be entered to win the title of Pennsylvania’s Oldest Refrigerator and an additional $1,000 gift card. The winners will be announced in September.

Contest or not, anyone can save money by unplugging an energy-guzzling relic in their garage or basement. Owners of old, outdated refrigerators can save up to $150 a year in energy costs and make some extra cash with a $35 reward for choosing to recycle.

Typically, the appliances recycled through the program are outdated units that either sit unused or are used for extra storage in garages and basements. But the convenience of chilling an extra six-pack and some leftovers can come at a steep price. Refrigerators manufactured before 1990 can use three times more electricity than new appliances.

“Many customers don’t realize how much money is wasted by old refrigerators lurking in garages or basements, but we make it easy for them to part with that old unit, save money and make a little extra cash,” said Thomas C. Stathos, director of Customer Programs and Services for PPL Electric Utilities.

Units picked up through the program are transported to an appliance recycling facility operated by JACO Environmental in Hatfield, Montgomery County. JACO safely removes hazardous materials from the old energy-guzzlers, reclaiming 95 percent of the materials in the appliances for reuse in manufacturing new products. Even the foam insulation is safely incinerated to generate electricity.

PPL Electric Utilities, a subsidiary of PPL Corporation that provides electricity delivery services to about 1.4 million customers in Pennsylvania, has consistently ranked among the best companies for customer service in the United States. More information is available at www.pplelectric.com.