Dear Sun Spots: With CMP lowering delivery charges but the power supplier getting a 17 percent increase in March 2005, I have been looking for ways to conserve kilowatt hours. I have installed energy-saving bulbs and replaced my refrigerator with an energy-saving unit.

I need to do more. I have a propane hot-water heater, have turned off the TV and unused items, and the water pump is used to a minimum. I started looking at my electrical panel and noticed a bare copper wire that comes out and goes to a rod stuck in the ground. I think I may be losing power going into the ground through this rod connection. I am thinking about taking out this wire to save some power. My friend’s hookup is the same. Is there any danger of disconnecting this bare wire? Just trying to save money. – No Name, No Town.

Answer: According to CMP spokesperson Gail Rice, “The wire the reader describes is called a ground wire. The National Electric Code and various state and municipal building codes require a ground wire for all electrical installations. The ground wire does not cause any loss of power into the ground. It is a safety device that helps minimize the danger to people and electrical appliances (like refrigerators, stoves, televisions, stereos, computers – virtually any item that runs on electricity) of possible injury or damage from voltage fluctuations caused by lightning strikes or other unexpected events. Removing the ground wire would not save any power. But it would pose an added danger to people and increase the risk of damage to electrical appliances. It would also be a violation of national, state and local building and safety codes.”

Rice also states that “the rate increase for power supply is actually going to be about 40 percent – that 40 percent applies to the supply portion only. When CMP’s electricity delivery charges are added, the total price increase (supply plus CMP delivery) comes to 17 percent. The reader is correct in saying that CMP delivery prices are going down. They have gone down by about 28 percent since January 2000, and we expect a slight decrease come March 1, 2005.”

In regards to energy conservation, the Maine Public Utilities Commission’s Efficiency Maine program has many energy saving tips for your home:

• When heating and insulating your home, seal any leaks in your heating or cooling system ducts and fix any leaks in your water/steam heat pipes; insulate attic access and basement trapdoors with R-19 insulation; weather-strip doors and windows and caulk air leaks around windows, door frames, pipes and ducts; use clear plastic sheets to insulate windows; seal off electric receptacles and switch boxes with foam gaskets or fiberglass insulation; and install storm or thermal windows.

• When washing and drying clothes, use lower temperature settings when washing clothes, load the washing machine to capacity, washing one large load rather than two smaller loads, clean the clothes dryer filter after each use, don’t over-dry clothes, dry full loads when possible but do not over-fill the dryer and, in good weather, hang clothes outside to dry.

• When using your dishwasher, operate only with full loads and open the door of the dishwasher at the end of the last rinse cycle rather than using the drying cycle.

Anyone seeking help to save energy can find it through the Maine Public Utilities Commission’s Efficiency Maine program’s Web site at www.efficiencymaine.com. It has information on programs for residential, commercial, and industrial customers. You can contact Efficiency Maine by e-mail at [email protected], by calling toll-free (866) 376-2463 (TTY: (207) 287-3831), or by writing to Efficiency Maine, c/o Public Utilities Commission, 18 State House Station, Augusta, ME 04333-0018.

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