How to save on LG&E, KU bill during summer heat in Louisville - Courier Journal

How to save on LG&E, KU bill during summer heat in Louisville

Here are 9 ways to save on your LG&E bill amid summer heat, inflation
Olivia Evans

As a record-hot 2024 rolls into the summer months, you may be looking for ways to save money on your utility bills.

As prices for some goods continue to rise due to inflation nationwide, you might not be alone in looking for ways to save a little green on your utility bills.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data from April, for states like Kentucky in the east south-central region, household electric energy prices have increased almost 4% year over year. While electric prices have crept up for the region, a decrease of roughly 12% was reported for utility-piped gas prices.

LG&E and KU spokesperson Liz Pratt said, "The weather and how we use energy are the two major factors that can affect our utility bills."

To offer customers more affordability and savings on gas and electric utilities, LG&E and KU, a major utility provider in Kentucky, started to roll out "energy efficiency programs." The company has already deployed nine programs — the largest portfolio in company history — that eligible customers can take advantage of and has a handful more planned to roll out by 2026.

"We’ve offered energy efficiency programs for our residential and business customers for nearly 30 years, and they’ve evolved over that time based on customers’ interests and industry standards, program participation levels, program costs, and which offerings provide the greatest savings and benefits to our customers," Pratt told The Courier Journal.

Pratt said these programs help customers offset costs of energy improvements at home or their business, provide monetary incentives by participating in certain programs, and help customers better manage their energy usage.

"We want to provide customers with programs, tools, and resources that can help them better manage their energy use and save money," Pratt said. "We’re also expanding services for our most vulnerable customers who may qualify for additional assistance."

Here's a look at nine energy efficiency and cost savings programs that LG&E-KU recently unveiled:

Energy efficiency residential savings programs from LG&E-KU

- Bring your own thermostat: This program offers a $50 incentive for enrolling a smart thermostat and provides additional incentives throughout the program if you keep your thermostat enrolled. During the program, customers will be rewarded for allowing small and temporary adjustments to the thermostat during times of "extreme temperatures or similar critical need."
- Demand Conservation: This program pays residential (and small business) customers who allow LG&E to cycle off air conditioning units, water heaters and pool pumps that are enrolled in the program during "high-energy" demand periods.
- Online Marketplace: This program offers residential (and small business) customers a marketplace to purchase energy-efficient smart thermostats, plugs, and smart strips at a discounted rate. Customers can see savings of up to $75 off thermostats and up to $10 off smart plugs and power strips, which help customers use less energy in the long run.
- Optimized EV Charging: This program offers financial incentives to electric vehicle drivers for enrolling a qualifying Level 2 smart charger or EV and allowing LG&E to "optimize the schedule of your EV’s charging each day to help manage the load on the electric grid." The program provides a $25 enrollment incentive and an ongoing $5 monthly incentive.
- WeCare for Homeowners and Renters: This program is offered to renters and owners of a single-family home or buildings with fewer than four units and provides education and weatherization for income-qualified customers. This program could allow participants to receive installation of LED bulbs, thermostats and energy-efficient water devices.

Energy efficiency business savings programs from LG&E-KU:

- Business Demand Response: This program allows business customers of LG&E-KU to work with the utility provider to create an energy-reduction business plan at no cost to reduce energy loads, earn financial incentives, and track the business' energy usage.
- Business rebates: This program gives commercial and industrial customers monetary incentives for choosing energy-saving items such as installing energy-efficient equipment or installing equipment above the building code. This program can also be used for businesses to work with LG&E-KU to create a custom rebate for specific project ideas.
- Small Business Audit and Direct Install: This program provides small business owners and renters with a service to enhance energy efficiency at no extra cost. The program provides a customized energy audit and detailed review of the findings as well as the installation of some energy-saving measures.
- WeCare for Apartment Building Owners: This program offers property managers and owners of multifamily properties the opportunity to enhance the energy efficiency of "income-qualified" buildings for no additional costs. Participants will receive energy audit and education, installation of energy efficient measures (excluding doors and windows), and incentives up to 50% of the cost for whole building projects.

What are some future energy efficiency programs from LG&E-KU?

At least four programs are expected to roll out in the next two years. In 2025, customers will see Peak Time Rebates and Residential Online Audit and Rebates come online. Then in 2026, Appliance Recycling, which was a previously offered program that ended in 2018, will return along with a program called Midstream Lighting.

For more details on these programs, visit lge-ku.com/energy-efficiency-programs.

How do I contact Louisville Gas and Electric?

Residential customers

- Online: lge-ku.com/contact/residential
- Phone: 502-589-1444 or 800-331-7370
- Mail: Louisville Gas and Electric Company, P.O. Box 7231, St. Louis, MO 63177-1231 or Kentucky Utilities, P.O. Box 771670, St. Louis, MO 63177-1670

Business customers

- Online: lge-ku.com/contact/business
- Phone: 502-627-3313 or 800-331-7370
- Mail: Louisville Gas and Electric Company, P.O. Box 7231, St. Louis, MO 63177-1231 or Kentucky Utilities, P.O. Box 771670, St. Louis, MO 63177-1670

Where can you pay an LG&E bill?

With LG&E-KU closing its business offices, including its downtown Louisville location, there are still a variety of ways for customers to pay their bills. For customers who prefer walk-in payments, authorized retail locations include CVS Pharmacy locations, Dollar General's, Family Dollar's, and several gas station chains.

Customers can also pay their bills via the LG&E, KU and ODP mobile app, online via one-time payments or autopay enrollment, by phone 24/7 at 502-589-1444 or 800-331-7370, and by mail to the address provided above.

Contact business reporter Olivia Evans at oevans@courier-journal.com or on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter at @oliviamevans_.