CINCINNATI – This Halloween, Duke Energy Ohio & Kentucky are reminding customers of the scary reality of energy “vampires.” These appliances and electronics – TVs, cell phone charges, coffee makers and more – lurk throughout homes, using energy 24/7, even when they’re turned off, idle or in standby mode.
Almost any device with an external power supply, internal battery, remote control, continuous display (including an LED) or constant network connection can be considered an energy vampire. A typical home often has upward of 40 of them, making up roughly 5% to 10% of a residential customer’s total energy use. Fortunately, there are quick, simple actions customers can take to ward off these silent energy – and money – suckers:
- Unplug devices when they’re not being used, especially in places like guest rooms that may not be visited regularly
- Use smart power strips that automatically cut off power to devices when they’re not being used
- Enable energy-saving settings, such as sleep mode, that are already built into some devices and help reduce idle time
- Choose energy-efficient replacements when the time comes, including ENERGY STAR® products and newer technology – with the energy savings created, they often pay for themselves
“Saving energy doesn’t have to mean making big changes. Something as simple as unplugging energy vampires can help,” said Amy Spiller, president of Duke Energy Ohio & Kentucky. “Each device may use only a little electricity, but together they can add up, impacting your energy use.”
For more information about energy efficiency programs, as well as low- and no-cost ways to help manage energy use, please visit duke-energy.com/EnergyEfficiency.
Duke Energy Ohio & Kentucky
Duke Energy Ohio & Kentucky, subsidiaries of Duke Energy, provide electric service to 910,000 residential, commercial and industrial customers in a 3,000-square-mile service area and natural gas service to 560,000 customers in a 2,650-square-mile service area in Ohio and Kentucky.
Duke Energy
Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK), a Fortune 150 company headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., is one of America’s largest energy holding companies. The company’s electric utilities serve 8.7 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky, and collectively own 55,700 megawatts of energy capacity. Its natural gas utilities serve 1.6 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Ohio and Kentucky.
Duke Energy is executing an energy modernization strategy, keeping customer value at the forefront as it invests in electric grid upgrades and efficient generation resources to strengthen the system and serve growing energy needs.
More information is available at duke-energy.com. Follow Duke Energy on X, LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok and Facebook for stories about the people and innovations powering its communities.
Contact: Matt Martin
24-Hour: 800.559.3853
X: @DukeEnergyOH_KY