Peco-subsidized CFL bulbs now available

About 800 retail stores in Peco's service area are to be stocked by December with compact fluorescent bulbs that will be sold at a discounted price subsidized by the utility.

The program, which opened this week, is part of the electric company's state-mandated plan to promote conservation and energy efficiency. Peco has proposed spending $342 million on conservation efforts over four years, but the lightbulb part of it was given expedited approval by the state Public Utility Commission.

Peco spokeswoman Cathy Engel said the company would be spending about $20 million for the CFL bulb component of the plan.

The amount of the discount will depend on the bulb. But a four-pack of traditional indoor Energy Star-rated CFL bulbs would cost $1.55, she said.

And more than just the squiggly bulbs will be available, Engel said.

There are CFL bulbs that are designed for dimmers, for bathroom lighting, for indoor and for outdoor use, for reading, and for decorative use, she said.

You want colors? The CFL bulbs come in red, yellow and green, and even a black-light version.

When choosing a CFL bulb, Peco advised, select one with one-fourth the wattage of the regular bulb that you're replacing — for instance, a 13- to 15-watt bulb to replace a 60-watt incandescent bulb.

The list of stores carrying the bulbs will be growing and encompass the Peco service region of Philadelphia, Bucks, Chester, Montgomery and Delaware Counties, Engel promised, and will also include smaller hardware stores.

— Roslyn Rudolph