10,000 Homeowners sign up for savings

(3BL Media / theCSRfeed) Minneapolis, MN - November 2, 2011 - Xcel Energy announces the 10,000th Home Energy Squad visit, a milestone the company says it reached earlier than expected due to positive customer response. Since its launch in January of 2010, the program has saved enough energy through its improvements to provide nearly 1,300 homes with electricity and natural gas for a year.   "This is a big milestone and proves that people are really interested in learning how to save energy and money," says Jean Hammer, Xcel Energy market manager. "The gal is to help people achieve energy efficiency one home at a time with easy, tangible improvements."   The Home Energy Squad involves a home visit by two energy experts to quickly identify simple energy-improvements within the home that can add up to significant savings. During the visit, the homeowner chooses which improvements to make, and the squad installs the chosen energy-efficiency items on the spot.   Some of the recommendations include installing weather stripping on exterior doors, programmable thermostats, compact fluorescent lighting, water-saving shower heads and faucet aerators. The homeowner pays for the materials, but installation is free.   Customers choose from one of two packages and can purchase additional items for the experts to install. A customer’s energy cost savings in the first year could more than cover the cost of the Home Energy Squad visit.    To be eligible for the program, the resident must be an Xcel Energy electricity customer and an Xcel Energy or CenterPoint Energy natural gas customer.   “Customer feedback has been so positive that we recently expanded the program to St. Cloud and Northfield,” says Hammer. “Customers like getting expert advice on saving energy and money while at the same time making their own decisions about which measures to implement. The ease of having someone in the home who can consult and install, all in less than two hours, is a favorite feature of this program.”   The Home Energy Squad is ideal for customers who have had a home energy audit and now need a service to install some of the smaller energy-saving items.   The program is a partnership with the Neighborhood Energy Connection, the Center for Energy and Environment and CenterPoint Energy.   The goal for the Home Energy Squad program in 2012 is to reach an additional 9,000 homes throughout the Xcel Energy’s territory.   For more information, please visit www.homeenergysquad.net   XCEL18369