Dec 14, 2022 | Safety and Security
Deck the Halls and do it safely.
Fa la la la la, la la la la.
The holiday season is upon us. It’s the time of year for fun, cheer, and holiday lights! With all the hustle and bustle of the season, it’s important to keep safety — particularly electrical safety — at the top of your holiday list.
Did you know that nearly 5,000 people visit the emergency room each holiday season due to indoor and outdoor electric decoration mishaps, according to the United States Consumer Product and Safety Commission?
Don’t be part of that statistic. Here are six tips, courtesy of Electric Safety Foundation International (EFSI), to keep you safe while decking the halls:
- Check it Twice — Be sure to check strings of lights for broken bulbs, cracked sockets or loose connections. Also check each decoration’s electrical cord to ensure they are not frayed or cut.
- Easy There Clark — When hooking up electrical holiday decorations, don’t overload circuits, outlets, or extension cords with too many plugs. Remember to always follow the manufacturer’s guidelines for how many sets of lights can be safely connected. Too many strings can cause a potential overload, which is one of the leading causes of house fires.
- Up on the Rooftop — When stringing up outdoor lights, always use a dry wooden or fiberglass ladder and stay clear of any overhead powerlines. You, your decorations, and your equipment should be at least 10 feet away from powerlines at all times.
- Hang them with Care — When hanging electrical holiday decorations, don’t use nails, screws, tacks, or staples to hang them. Piercing the cord could damage the wire’s insulation and cause electrical shock or fire. Try using plastic or insulated clips instead.
- Home Alone — If you are leaving the house, be sure you turn off your holiday lights and decorations. And do the same when you’re sleeping. Using an automatic timer can make it easier to turn everything off, or on, precisely when you want to.
- Bah Hum-Rug — When decorating indoors, don’t run any extension cords under rugs or carpets. Plus, be sure to discard any older, outdated, or damaged extension cords to help prevent the risk of a fire.
Don’t let something preventable ruin your holiday season. A little bit of preparation can help you make your season bright, and most importantly, safe.
Dec 5, 2022 | Bill Help
Colder winter temperatures can mean more energy use and higher bills. We’re here to help. If you’re struggling with your electric bills, you have options that can ease the burden:
- OnTrack: If you’re eligible, this PPL Electric program can help with lower, fixed monthly payments and debt forgiveness.
- LIHEAP: A federal program, LIHEAP offers grants to help offset your energy bills or pay off past-due balances.
- ERAP: Since 2020, our customers have received more than $10 million in assistance from this federal program. If you rent your home and your income was impacted by the pandemic, ERAP may be able to help.
- Operation HELP: This PPL Electric fund, supported by customers and employees, provides free grants to eligible customers.
- WRAP: Energy efficiency can help you save money. If you’re eligible for WRAP, you can receive free energy efficiency products and services.
To learn more about all the ways we can help this winter – and for energy efficiency tools, tips, and programs – visit pplelectric.com/highbill today.
Nov 28, 2022 | Community Involvement
At PPL Electric Utilities, we power 29 counties in Pennsylvania. This isn’t just our service territory, it’s our home. It’s where we live and work. It’s where our children go to school. We’re all neighbors.
That’s why we’re proud of the support we’ve provided to our communities this year – and our commitment to continuing these efforts for years to come. Here are just a few examples of the ways we’ve brightened lives in 2022.
Volunteerism
Throughout the year, our employees give their time and talent to support organizations they’re passionate about, including volunteering on 100+ nonprofit boards. Additionally, in 2022, there were several organized efforts during which our employees and their families could support our communities.
In April, more than 150 employees planted trees, created trails and more during Earth Appreciation Month. Organizations and locations we supported included Wayne Grube Memorial Park, Hays Elementary, Lehigh Valley Zoo, Pool Wildlife Sanctuary, Northcentral PA Conservancy, Louise Moore Park and more.
This fall, over 200 employees and their families participated in United Way Day of Caring events serving nonprofit organizations in the Lehigh Valley, Harrisburg, and Benton. Participants helped complete projects at the Sixth Street Shelter, Camel’s Hump Farm, Lehigh County Humane Society, Phoebe Allentown Health Care Center, and other locations.
Supporting STEM education
One initiative about which we are particularly passionate is supporting STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) education. From the Mifflinburg Science Festival in Union County to the Summer Reading Program at the Whitehall Township Public Library in Lehigh County, and communities in between, we’ve helped offer students many new opportunities to flex their brains in 2022. Find out more about our support of STEM education programs.
We know that it’s more important than ever to engage students in STEM disciplines from an early age, and that’s one of the reasons we continue to support efforts like the PPL Foundation’s Cover to Cover program and Empowering Educators grants, which support and encourage teachers to provide hands-on STEM learning experiences. Learn more about the 2022 Empowering Educators grant recipients.
Keeping communities safe
We take our commitment to electrical safety seriously. In 2022 alone, our Live Line Electrical Safety Exhibit, which demonstrates the dangers associated with electrical lines, reached 9,500 first responders and others. The exhibit has reached over 57,000 since its creation in 2016.
This year, more than 10,000 students in 60+ schools learned about electrical safety from “Captain Wattage” during a show we developed in partnership with The National Theatre for Children. That show has reached over 125,000 kids since 2015 via livestream and in-person performances.
We also distributed thousands of free books on electrical safety for students, a program that has impacted more than 43,000 kids since its start in 2018.
Lending a helping hand
With prices rising in industries across the board, some customers are having trouble keeping up with their bills. That’s why we’ve supported customers with payment assistance and other programs, and provided tips and tools to help you use less energy. Check out our new 360 interactive tool to find the savings hiding in your home.
Going green
Protecting the environment is another critical part of our community commitment. We want to keep our winged neighbors safe and thriving, all while protecting the natural beauty of Pennsylvania. We’ve built nesting platforms to protect birds of prey, and we consider the environmental impact of everything we do.
Since our Community Roots program started in 2017, we have given away over 127,000 trees and pollinator plants to help stabilize streambanks, beautify neighborhoods and provide important habitat for birds, bees and butterflies. Over the past year, we’ve connected with thousands of people at dozens of Community Roots events at fairs, concerts, festivals, schools, land conservancies, and conservation organizations in places like Allentown, Bloomsburg, Catawissa, Honesdale, Scranton, Wilkes-Barre and Williamsport, to name a few.
As we look ahead to 2023, we look forward to continuing to serve and support the communities we all call home. Stay tuned to the community involvement category on this blog and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to keep up with our community efforts throughout the year.
Nov 10, 2022 | Energy Efficiency
Winter is near, and colder weather often means more energy use and higher bills. We want to help, and we’re happy to offer rebates for most of the ENERGY STAR® Home Upgrade series of improvements. These are designed to maximize your energy and cost savings with energy-efficient appliances and products.
Insulation
We’re offering rebates of up to $200 for air sealing and up to $500 for attic insulation; and doing multiple projects like these will put you on the path to a potential $350 retrofit bonus. Plus, you could qualify for tax credits.
If your home is leaking air, you may be leaking money on your energy bill. Ensuring your attic is well-sealed and properly insulated is one of the most important things you can do to reduce air leaks, save on your electricity bill, and improve comfort.
Low insulation levels and air leaks make your heating and cooling systems work harder and use more energy. If the insulation is below the level of the floor joists in your attic, you probably need to add more.
Tackle air sealing and attic insulation projects now to reduce your energy costs before it gets colder. Learn more about our insulation rebates here.
Nov 10, 2022 | Energy Efficiency
Winter is near, and colder weather often means more energy use and higher bills. We want to help, and we’re happy to offer rebates for most of the ENERGY STAR® Home Upgrade series of improvements. These are designed to maximize your energy and cost savings with energy-efficient appliances and products.
Smart Thermostats
We’re offering a $100 rebate if you install a smart thermostat. Plus, you could qualify for tax credits.
Half of an average American household’s energy bill goes toward heating and cooling—more than $900 a year. Let a smart thermostat help you control your home’s temperature—you could save money and stay comfortable! Smart thermostats ensure your home is at the right temperature when you’re there and conserving energy when you’re not.
The smart thermostat is an important part of an ENERGY STAR Home Upgrade because it controls equipment that uses significant energy for heating and cooling.
Learn more about our smart thermostat rebates here.
