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Editor, News-Register:
There are vampires in my house! I'll bet there are some in yours, too. These vampires feed on your electricity, drive up your power bill and drain your wallet. That's pretty scary! No tricks here, the West Virginia Public Service Commission wants to treat you to some ideas that will help you save money.
Vampire energy, also known as ghost energy or phantom load, is consumed by electric appliances that draw power even when turned off. This power drain is pretty easy to eliminate once you find it.
Turn off the lights tonight. You can tell ghost stories if you want, but first look for anything that glows in the dark. You'll probably spot the clocks on the microwave and coffee maker right away. Depending on your setup, small appliances can be unplugged when not in use. If that's inconvenient, try plugging them into a surge protector that can be turned on and off with a switch.
The biggest culprits are electronics. Are you guilty of leaving chargers plugged in when you aren't charging your phones or other devices? If you do, it's costing you money. Do you have a voice-activated assistant that is constantly in standby mode? Hey, Alexa, how much electricity do you consume every day?
Other devices that go into standby mode include computer monitors, printers, TVs, or cable/satellite systems. Leaving your DVR in standby mode can cost upward of $50 a year. Are the kids leaving the video games on? They draw electricity.
Don't get tricked by vampire energy. Invest in surge protectors and plug-in timers. Turn those electronics all the way off and treat yourself to some energy savings.
Chairwoman Charlotte Lane
W.Va. Public Service Commission