Watt Meter Loan Program Expanded to Include Nine Communities Served by Veridian

An innovative 'Watt Meter Loan Program' launched early this summer in the Town of Ajax has been expanded to include all nine communities served by Veridian Connections Inc. The program, which is delivered through community libraries and designed to help residents reduce electricity use, is now being offered by libraries in the Cities of Belleville and Pickering, the Municipalities of Clarington and Port Hope, the Town of Gravenhurst, and the Townships of Brock, Scugog and Uxbridge.

"We are very thankful for the help of our library partners in making this program available to all of our customers," said Michael Angemeer, President and CEO of Veridian. "There has been incredible customer response to this initiative since it was first launched in the Town of Ajax last June, and we expect it to be just as popular in the other communities that we serve."

Through its nine library partnerships, Veridian has donated a supply of energy recording devices that can be borrowed by library patrons to help them explore how they use energy in their homes, and to identify where to focus conservation efforts. The Watt Meters plug in between an electrical outlet and most household appliances, and can be used to calculate the energy cost of operating the appliance. Each Watt Reader loan includes a user's guide and energy conservation literature.

For a limited time, participants in the program will also receive a free energy saving compact fluorescent light bulb.

According to Angemeer, "We think that many customers will be very surprised at just how much energy some of their older household appliances are using. Tremendous improvements in appliance energy efficiency have been achieved over the past 15 to 20 years, so replacing an old refrigerator or clothes washer with a new EnergyStar unit can make a big difference in the annual energy costs of a household."

Angemeer also urges customers to use the Watt Meters to find out how much energy is used by so-called 'phantom loads'. "A phantom load is an electrical device that uses power even when it is switched off," he says. "Using a Watt Meter, customers can check their printers, DVD players, computers, stereos and other devices to see how much can be saved by unplugging equipment that is not frequently used."

Veridian customers interested in borrowing a Watt Meter are urged to contact their local library for program details.

Through its subsidiary Veridian Connections Inc., Veridian Corporation is responsible for distributing electricity to more than 104,000 customers in the Cities of Pickering and Belleville, the Towns of Ajax, Port Hope and Gravenhurst, and the communities of Uxbridge, Bowmanville, Newcastle, Orono, Port Perry, Beaverton, Sunderland and Cannington. The Corporation also owns Veridian Energy Inc., a Pickering, Ontario based company that provides business-to-business and fibre optic communications services. The City of Pickering, The Town of Ajax, the Municipality of Clarington and the City of Belleville jointly own Veridian Corporation.

For further information: George Armstrong, Manager of Regulatory Affairs and Key Projects, Veridian Corporation, Ph: (905) 427-9870, extension 2202

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