Bay City Electric, Light & Power, with their Energy Smart Program, is dedicated to a portfolio of energy efficient programs designed to assist residential and business electric customers in reducing their energy usage. Over the next few years, a number of programs will be offered. The portfolio includes the following programs which are available immediately for utility customers.

For a list of frequently asked questions check the following – Energy Smart FAQ

Note: In most cases customers will need to provide their account number to sign up for a program. The account number is located on your bill in the upper left area and is the first line of the address section as shown on this Sample Bill.

All program applications for Residential and Commercial customers can be found on the Franklin Energy website – Energy Smart - Bay City

Residential Customers

FREE CFL Bulbs

BCEL&P has developed an energy efficient lighting program that allows residential customers to receive FREE Compact Fluorescent Light (CFL) bulbs! CFL bulbs use 1/4 of the energy of standard incandescent bulbs and last up to 10 times longer, which is more than $30 per year in savings per bulb replaced!

To find more information on CFL bulbs go to EnergyStar CFL Info.

BCEL&P customers can receive a multipack of six FREE CFLs per household on a first come first served basis in the current year!  To receive your free bulbs, visit the utility’s offices at 900 S. Water Street, call the main Energy Smart phone number at (877) 674-7281 for more information, or visit www.efi.org/energysmart for online signup.

Recycle Your Bulbs

CFL bulbs contain a very small amount of mercury, but they can be safely recycled. Bay City Light & Power is now a CFL recycling site! Drop off your used, not broken, bulbs to our office at 900 S. Water Street. This site is only for small CFL bulbs.

Refrigerator/Freezer Recycling

Your old refrigerator could be the culprit behind your high energy bills. Old refrigerators can use up to three times the energy of newer models. That can add as much as $150 to your bill in a year! The utility, along with JACO, will recycle your old, working refrigerators and freezers for FREE, and on top of it all, we will give you $30! To set up an appointment to recycle your old appliance call (877) 270-3519 or visit www.jacoinc.net on the internet.

HVAC (Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning) Appliance Rebates

The utility will recycle your old, working air conditioners, furnaces and dehumidifiers for FREE and you will receive varied rebates depending on the appliance shown in the chart below.

Apply for your HVAC appliance rebate here – HVAC Application

Services for Residential Customers with Limited Incomes

If you are a residential customer with limited income, or know someone who is, the utility is offering assistance. BCEL&P is working with United Way to provide energy savings for customers with incomes 200% or less of the Federal Poverty Level. Call the United Way at (989) 893-7508 ext 12 for more information.

Electric Water Heater Savings Kits

For those customers with electric water heating, significant energy savings can be achieved by the installation of low-cost measures that reduces the amount of hot water used. Electric Water Heater Savings Kits will be distributed to electric water heating customers for FREE and will include:

• Low-flow showerheads
• Faucet aerators (Kitchen & Bath)
• Pipe wrap
• Package of CFLs (5 per unit)
• Information on proper installation and energy savings

Commercial & Industrial Customers

Business customers can receive financial incentives to implement energy efficiency projects. Please contact Joanne Cebelak, Megan Atkinson or Jeff Yeaster at (877) 674-7281 for additional information or access the links below for application packages including a listing of eligible efficiency measures and rebates. Customers will be limited to cumulative rebates of $10,000 and rebates will be awarded on a first come first served basis in the current year. Additional funding for this program will be available in future years for customers not able to receive incentives in 2010.

To apply for this program, please use the following application – C&I Applications

The warmer it gets outside, the higher our bills tend to get. The cost of cooling your home can become expensive. BCEL&P wants its customers to know that we want to lower your bills, too. The less energy that you use means the less energy we have to purchase. Here are some money saving tips you can apply to help lower your bill.

• Use a programmable thermostat; it can cut your energy consumption by 15%

• When electronics are off, they still use power (called “phantom energy”) and you pay for it. Plug all your electronics into one power strip and turn off the power strip when not in use.

• Bigger isn't always better. Using an air conditioner that is too big for a room uses more energy than you need.

• Take advantage of your ceiling fans to lower energy costs. In the summer, blades should rotate counter-clockwise; clockwise in winter.

• If your air conditioner is old, consider purchasing a new, energy-efficient model. You could save up to 50% on your bill, and receive a rebate through the utility for recycling your old air conditioner! Look for the ENERGY STAR® label when purchasing a new unit.

• Wash full loads of clothes and dishes. Let them air dry. Also, run these appliances at night, during off peak electrical hours.

• Turn off (or down) all unnecessary appliances when you are on vacation – water heater, air conditioner, furnace, pool, spa, or waterbed heaters.

• Set your air conditioner at 78º when you are home, 85º when you are not.

Bay City Electric Light & Power is working with vendors, contractors, and other businesses that have been educated on energy efficiency and our Energy Smart program to provide our customers with the best service possible. If your business is interested in participating, please fill out the Trade Ally Participation Application to become a trade ally for the Bay City Energy Smart program. Trade ally contact information will be posted on this website and participants will get the latest information on changes to the program and future education opportunities.

To apply to become a trade ally, please use the follow application – Trade Ally Participation Application

This is a comprehensive list of all entities that have been working with Bay City Electric, Light & Power. All allies have been informed of the programs that are currently being offered – Current Trade Allies

Tree Power

“The Right Tree, in the Right Place”

Properly placed trees can lower line clearance costs for utility companies, reduce tree mortality, and result in healthier community forests. Trees can also add value to your house, help cool your home and neighborhood, and break cold winds to lower heating costs. The illustration below demonstrates the proper tree placement around your home.

Our customers deserve to know what we as a utility are doing to be more energy efficient. In your June bill, we sent out a summary of what we achieved in 2009 for energy optimization and renewable energy.

If you wish to read more about our Energy Optimization Plan and Annual Report, click here – Bay City’s Energy Optimization Plan

To view more details on our Renewable Energy Plan and Annual Report, click here – Bay City's Renewable Energy Plan