TREENA MIELKE/Rimbey Review
Some residents within the communities of Rimbey and Bentley have been lucky enough to be the recipients of a few tools to help them save energy in practical, innovative ways.
As part of its Energy Your Way program, FortisAlberta donated 100 Energy Saving Kits to the Town of Bentley and 50 kits to the Town of Rimbey.
The kits include compact fluorescent bulbs, an LED night light, a fridge/freezer thermometer, weatherstrip, window insulator film, a hot water gauge, a water-flow measuring bag, kitchen and bathroom tap aerators, a low-flow showerhead, foam pipe wrap and an instruction manual that provides easy installation directions for each item.
“We’re hoping that the energy saving kits will give customers some ideas of easy and inexpensive ways to cut down on their energy usage,’ said Joelle Lamontagne, Program Manager, Energy Efficiency for FortisAlberta.
“Ultimately it’s up to each individual how they want to use their energy — we’re just trying to show them how to use less.”
Rimbey’s mayor, Sheldon Ibbotson, said the town appreciates the kits, which are being given out at the front office to residents.
“We’re happy to see people get some energy efficient products from Fortis. I’m sure they will find them useful,” he said.
Bentley CAO Elizabeth Smart said some of the kits were taken to the Bentley Drop In Centre and some were kept on hand at the office.
“We still have some here if anyone wants one,” she said. “They have been very well received. People are very appreciative. I expect next fall there will be interest expressed again.”
FortisAlberta is also donating power monitors to community libraries throughout its service territory. Customers can borrow these small devices for free to measure and display the electrical usage of their household appliances as well as the cost of running each appliance.
More than 160 power monitors are now in circulation through the Parkland Regional Library, Marigold Library System and Yellowhead Regional Library.
More than 1,700 Energy Saving Kits are being donated by Fortis Alberta to a random selection of 22 communities throughout its service territory. If the pilot project is successful more energy saving kits may be available to additional communities next year.
Check out fortisalberta.com for practical tips on reducing energy usage as well as a home electricity cost calculator that customers can use to calculate the total monthly costs of running their electrical devices.