News Releases

Summer has officially arrived, and no matter how you live the next three months, PPL Electric Utilities will be there with safe, dependable power. Over the last several months, the company has made dozens of local improvements to its electric delivery system to make sure customer demand can be met on even the peak days. 

It’s also a good time to remind folks about ways to stay comfortable, save energy and stay safe while we try to beat the heat this summer.

There are numerous low-cost and no-cost ways for customers to stay cool for less. Coupled with taking advantage of E-power® programs and using ENERGY STAR appliances, customers can help trim the usual summertime spike in electric use. As temperatures rise higher on these warm summer days, the more electricity cooling appliances tend to use.

The following tips will help you stay comfortable and save energy, too.

• Set your thermostat as high as comfortably possible. The smaller the difference between the indoor and outdoor temperatures, the lower your overall cooling costs will be. It’s especially helpful to raise the thermostat setting when no one is home and during days with extreme heat.
• A ceiling fan will allow you to raise the air-conditioner thermostat setting about two to four degrees without reducing comfort. But remember that fans cool people, not rooms, so turn off that fan when you leave the room.
• Seal cracks and gaps to prevent warm air from entering your home, just as you would seal cracks and gaps to prevent heat loss during the winter.
• Use a programmable thermostat so the air-conditioner setting is automatically higher when no one is home. When you return home, don’t turn the thermostat a lot lower in hopes of quicker cooling. It will not cool your home any faster and could result in excessive cooling and wasted energy dollars.
• Keep your cooling system well-maintained and check your air conditioner’s filter each month. A dirty air filter causes the air conditioner to be less efficient and results in more energy usage.

Summer also can present electrical safety hazards. Severe weather, home improvement projects that require digging and increased outdoor activities are a few of the things that can prove dangerous if care isn’t taken.

• Severe weather can pose a number of safety issues, from lightning to downed electric lines. For more information, visit www.pplelectric.com/outagecenter. Lightning safety tips can be found at www.lightningsafety.noaa.gov.
• Make your home improvement project a safe one. If you’ll be digging, state law requires you to call Pennsylvania One Call at least three business days before you start. Call 24 hours a day at 811 or 1-800-242-1776. Making the call lets utilities like PPL Electric Utilities mark underground facilities to help keep you safe.
• Keep children stay away from substations and other electrical facilities and equipment. They are not places to play and could result in a serious or even deadly accident.

PPL Electric Utilities Corporation, 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.