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VANCOUVER: With the onset of colder weather, BC Hydro is doubling the reward to $100 for its Team Power Smart Reduction Challenge to encourage customers to conserve by offering an additional opportunity to save more money on their bill. More than 100,000 British Columbians have successfully completed the challenge to date.

"We see our biggest demand for power in the colder, darker months when customers turn up their heating and use lighting and appliances more often, which translates into higher bills for our customers at this time of year," said Mora Scott, BC Hydro spokesperson. "To help kick start new habits and help our customers save energy and money, we are increasing our Team Power Smart Reduction Challenge reward for a limited time from $50 to $100 for customers who successfully reduce their electricity use by 10 per cent over the course of a year."

Participating in the challenge is easy. Login to your online account, join Team Power Smart and start a reduction challenge by January 31, 2024. After 365 days if you are successful in reducing your household's electricity consumption by 10 per cent, you will earn a $100 reward. The challenge is open to all residential customers who have at least 12-months of electricity consumption history at their current residence.

BC Hydro has more options than ever to help customers manage their energy use and save money on their electricity bills. Team Power Smart challengers will receive monthly updates on how the challenge is progressing including energy saving tips and advice to help customers reach their goals, as well as access to member-exclusive events, contests, and deals. For those with electric space and water heating, BC Hydro also recommends the following no-cost and low-cost ways to help get to that 10 per cent reduction this year:

• Monitor heating: Heating is the biggest use of energy in B.C. homes during the fall and winter months. Heating costs rise about five per cent for every degree above 20 degrees Celsius. Keeping the temperature at 16 degrees when away from the home and sleeping, 18 degrees when doing housework and 21 degrees when relaxing can help avoid wasted heat (and higher costs).
• Invest in a smart thermostat: A smart thermostat will automatically adjust the temperature, depending on time of day and your home's activity. Using it to control electric space heating, can help reduce electricity used for heating by nearly 10 per cent.
  
• Heat in zones: Only turn on baseboard heaters in rooms that are occupied. Close doors to bedrooms and offices when baseboard heaters are turned on to keep the heat in.
• Seal gaps and cracks: One of the simplest, lowest-cost ways to improve the efficiency of your home is by applying draftproofing around windows and doors to keep the cold air out, and warm air in. Draftproofing can reduce heat loss by up to 10 per cent.
• Watch the water: Showers can be the largest single contributor to a home's hot water use, accounting for up to 15 per cent of a household's total electricity use. Low-flow showerheads could cut a shower's energy costs by more than half.
• Change up your laundry routine: Around 80 per cent of a clothes washer's energy use goes towards heating the water. Washing clothes in cold water is a simple way to reduce a washing machine's energy use. Using a clothesline or drying rack for wet laundry when you can, is another simple way to reduce energy use as dryers up to 12 per cent of a household's total energy.

Join the thousands of British Columbians who have successfully completed a Team Power Smart Reduction Challenge and sign up today at bchydro.com/jointheteam.

Contact:
BC Hydro Media Relations
e. media@bchydro.com
p. 604 928 6468