FirstEnergy to distribute low-energy bulbs to customers

STAFF/WIRE REPORT

AKRON — FirstEnergy Corp. plans to provide nearly 4 million low- energy light bulbs to its residential electricity customers in Ohio.

Akron-based FirstEnergy said Monday that distribution will begin in mid-October. Two compact fluorescent light bulbs will be mailed or hand-delivered to residential customers of Ohio Edison, Cleveland Electric Illuminating Co. and Toledo Edison.

FirstEnergy notified Austintown Township officials that distribution there will begin Monday. Twenty percent of bulbs to be distributed in Austintown will be sent by mail, and the rest will be hand-delivered.

The company said it has contracted with PowerDirect Marketing to handle the delivery. Personnel will wear a green hat and shirt and carry photo identification.

They will deliver a bag with the bulbs but will not knock on doors or ring doorbells, the company said.

Distribution will continue through Nov. 14.

The cost of the program will be underwritten by customers, who FirstEnergy says can recover three times the cost through projected energy savings.

The program approved by state regulators is meant to reduce electricity usage and increase awareness of energy conservation.

The CFL bulbs use up to 75 percent less electricity than traditional incandescent bulbs.