Media Release: Friday 20 October 2006

Energy efficient light-bulb campaign underway again in Christchurch and central Canterbury

Christchurch and central Canterbury residents are being offered another chance to buy subsidised energy efficient lightbulbs.

The local campaign aims to sell up to 70,000 subsidised Ecobulbs® over the coming six weeks, and follows last year’s very successful pilot campaign in Christchurch and central Canterbury which resulted in the sale of 125,000 Ecobulbs.

Three installed Ecobulbs will save a household around $300 in power costs over the nine-year life of the bulb. This is because an Ecobulb uses only around one-fifth the power of a normal bulb, and lasts up to 10 times longer, while providing the same light output.

The Electricity Commission, electricity retailer Meridian Energy and local network company Orion are again running the campaign, with support from retailer Foodstuffs.

As with last year’s campaign, every Meridian Energy customer in the Orion network – which includes Christchurch and central Canterbury between the Rakaia and Waimakariri Rivers and west to Arthur’s Pass – will be sent a voucher offering them three Ecobulbs for just $5.

The vouchers are redeemable at any New World, PAK’N’SAVE, or Four Square store within the Orion network area. Additional bulbs can be bought for $4.49 during the campaign, compared with their normal price of $5.95. Non-Meridian Energy customers can use the vouchers that are being printed in local newspapers during the campaign to buy subsidised Ecobulbs.

There has been very positive feedback from people who bought Ecobulbs as part of last year’s campaign, with many people asking for another chance to buy the energy efficient bulbs at a subsidised price; independent research showed that more than 80% of people who bought bulbs during the last campaign were very likely to re-purchase energy efficient bulbs again. The campaign will run until the end of November, or while stocks last.

Ecobulbs are high quality, use the latest technology, and reach maximum light output after only a few seconds. They were selected for the Orion network after extensive technical testing. The Ecobulb has a two year guarantee.

Energy efficient lighting facts and figures

* Lighting makes up about 10 per cent of a typical household’s power use.

* High quality energy efficient lightbulbs provide a similar light output to normal incandescent lightbulbs, but only use about one-fifth of the power

* High quality energy efficient lightbulbs last for up to 10 times longer than normal bulbs

* High quality energy efficient bulbs are available in both screw and bayonet fittings

* High quality energy efficient bulbs are available in a range of light outputs

* High quality energy efficient lightbulbs have a very low failure rate (less than 1 percent defectives were returned as part of the Electricity Commission/Orion/Meridian Energy campaign in 2005)

ENDS

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