MEDIA CONTACT:
Rebecca Winning
Communications and Public Affairs Manager
303-275-2203
rebecca.winning@jeffcolibrary.org
Jefferson County Public Library Offers Energy Meters for Check Out
(Lakewood, Colo. - Aug. 18, 2010) Jefferson County Public Library (JCPL) is partnering with Xcel Energy to offer Power Check energy meters for checkout.
"This innovative program will help our patrons save energy and manage their household energy costs," said Marcellus Turner, executive director, JCPL. "We applaud Xcel for supporting our efforts to promote sustainable practices and enabling us to make these meters available to our patrons."
Power Check energy meters measure the voltage, electricity cost and electric consumption of common household appliances. Patrons can use them with any standard 120-volt appliance or electronic device to:
- determine the approximate operating costs of various appliances and electronics;
- identify high-energy-use appliances;
- predict savings in reducing appliance use;
- calculate the cost savings for replacing older appliances with energy-efficient models; and
- discover “energy vampires” – appliances that use energy even when switched off.
Advanced features are also available, including the ability to download data from the meter to a personal computer for graphing and charting, and a payback calculator, which automatically calculates the number of months needed to recover the costs of a new energy efficient appliance. You can find more information on this program at ResponsibleByNature.com, by clicking on the "Energy Smart" tab.
JCPL now has 20 meters available for checkout. Each meter kit comes with overview information and instructions in English and Spanish. Customers are encouraged to check availability and reserve the meters through JCPL's online catalog, at
http://jeffcolibrary.org/catalog.html. They are listed under the title "
Watts up PRO."
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About Jefferson County Public Library
Jefferson County Public Library (JCPL) is the third largest public library in the state of Colorado. Our mission is to meet the changing needs of our communities by providing information and environments that promote personal growth and community transformation. A JCPL library card is the key to a network of 10 libraries, a Bookmobile, a Traveling Children’s Library and eTrain, a mobile computer training lab, offering books, periodicals, CDs and DVDs, as well as computer and Internet resources. For more information contact your local library or visit
www.jeffcolibrary.org.
About Xcel Energy
Xcel Energy (NYSE: XEL) is a major U.S. electricity and natural gas company with regulated operations in eight Western and Midwestern states. Xcel Energy provides a comprehensive portfolio of energy-related products and services to 3.4 million electricity customers and 1.9 million natural gas customers through its regulated operating companies. Company headquarters are located in Minneapolis.
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