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Co-op Helps Members Monitor Use |
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Gunnison County Electric Association, serving the Gunnison-Crested Butte area, is helping its members get a handle on how much electricity they use. With all the talk about energy efficiency and conservation, many members are wondering how much energy each of their appliances or plug-in devices uses.
Several kinds of energy monitors are on the market to help the average consumer monitor energy use anywhere a power cord and electrical outlet are used. These monitors take the mystery out of the question, “How much power does this appliance use?" The devices are portable and relatively simple to use. Plug one into an outlet, then plug in the appliance, light or other device you wish to measure and monitor. An LCD display shows you how many kilowatt-hours of electricity the device or appliance consumes.
The power monitor helps members understand what their individual plug-in conveniences are costing in electricity.
Gunnison County Electric has made one type of these meters, called Kill-A-Watt meters, available for loan directly from Gunnison County Electric Association or from the Crested Butte, Gunnison and Lake City libraries. Members can call GCEA or visit the local library to learn more about the program.
Members can also monitor the energy use in their houses with a device called the “whole house power monitor.” It hooks to an outdoor utility meter. A signal sends instantaneous kilowatt-hour usage data to an inside display device. GCEA has information on these devices available for its members. Return to the Cutting Costs article index page |
