Deck the halls with energy-efficient LED decorations

BOSTON AND SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (Nov. 26, 2024) – With the holiday season upon us, neighborhoods are starting to twinkle with festive light displays inside and out. Eversource is reminding customers about some ways to get in the holiday spirit while conserving energy, saving money and staying safe.

“Festive decorations and flickering lights really help to usher in the excitement of the holiday season – celebrations, gift-giving and spending time with loved ones,” said Eversource Senior Vice President and Chief Customer Officer Penni Conner. “Whether you prefer thousands of imported twinkle lights or traditional candles in the window to set a cheerful holiday mood, we don’t want our customers to miss out on energy savings that translates to financial savings that could be better spent on their family than their utility bill.”

Customers can save money and protect the planet by replacing traditional incandescent lights with an energy-efficient light-emitting diode, or LED, holiday decoration. Not only do LEDs use 90 percent less energy than conventional bulbs and last 25 times longer, they’re also brighter, eco-friendlier and safer, as they are much cooler than incandescent lights.

No matter what type of decorations are being used, it’s important to use them safely. Eversource also offers these holiday tips to help customers stay safe, as well as save money and energy:

• Inspect all lighted decorations, particularly older ones, and discard any with broken or cracked sockets; frayed or bare wires; or loose connections. Replace them with energy efficient varieties.
• When decorating outdoors, always look up and stay away from all power lines.
• Never raise ladders or extend objects anywhere near the lines.
• Never run extension cords under rugs or coil them tightly, which can cause them to overheat.
• Use a programmable timer for lights to ensure they aren’t accidentally left on.
• Water and electricity do not mix so keep outdoor connections off the ground.
• Check labels to ensure lights are used properly - outside lights are labeled for outdoor use.
• All the parts of the lights need to be dampness and temperature-proof.
• Check extension cords for wear and plug outdoor lights and decorations into GFCI outlets.
• Use advanced power strips for holiday décor to eliminate standby energy loss. This can be particularly helpful for inflatables like large snow globes, which may add as much as $12 per month to your energy bill.
• Turn off room lights when the tree is lit to save energy while creating a festive atmosphere.

Find more holiday decorating and electrical safety tips here.

Eversource (NYSE: ES), celebrated as a national leader for its corporate citizenship, is the #1 energy company in Newsweek’s list of America’s Most Responsible Companies for 2023 and recognized as one of America’s Most JUST Companies. Celebrated as a national leader for its corporate citizenship. Eversource transmits and delivers electricity to 1.28 million customers in 149 cities and towns, provides natural gas to 251,000 customers in 74 communities, and supplies water to approximately 217,000 customers in 59 communities across Connecticut. Eversource harnesses the commitment of approximately 9,900 employees across three states to build a single, united company around the mission of safely delivering reliable energy and water with superior customer service. The #1 energy efficiency provider in the nation, the company is empowering a clean energy future in the Northeast, with nationally-recognized energy efficiency solutions and successful programs to integrate new clean energy resources like solar, offshore wind, electric vehicles and battery storage, into the electric system. For more information, please visit Eversource.com, and follow us on X, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. For more information on our water services, visit aquarionwater.com.

CONTACT:
Kyle Costa
781-441-8728 
kyle.costa@eversource.com

Priscilla Ress
413-787-1055
priscilla.ress@eversource.com