Alliant Energy to initiate Appliance Cycling throughout Iowa today

Today’s event includes about 50,000 customers throughout Iowa –

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – August 26, 2013 – Alliant Energy’s Iowa electric utility will cycle air conditioners for participating customers across the entire state today. Weather conditions are such that from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m., customers enrolled in the Appliance Cycling program will have their air conditioner cycled in 15-minute intervals to reduce overall energy usage.

Participating residential customers have opted into the program, and have a small control switch on or near their central air conditioner. Today, Alliant Energy will send a signal to the switches in the targeted areas. The control switch will cycle the outdoor cooling unit off and on every 15 minutes. The furnace fan will continue to circulate the cooler, drier air already in the home.

Alliant Energy pays each participating residential customer $8 per month from June through September – whether the air conditioner is cycled or not. A similar program for electric water heaters is also included in today’s event. Customers enrolled in that program receive a $2 per month discount during the same June through September period.

Appliance Cycling events typically occur between May 15 and September 15 on weekdays from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. They are not initiated on weekends or holidays.