The TXU Energy Power Saver Challenge is back. After a successful inaugural campaign last year that saw thousands compete to be the most energy-efficient family, TXU Energy announced today it is launching the reality contest again.
The TXU Energy Power Saver Challenge 2 winner will receive a $25,000 Grand Prize. This year's second and third place winners will also receive cash prizes. This unique reality contest is designed to motivate Texans to share new ways to use less energy and save money on their electric bill. The statewide reality contest is open to TXU Energy residential customers and consumers who become TXU Energy customers by June 15th, 2009. Entrants must own and live in a single family home that is at least five years old.
"TXU Energy is committed to helping Texans use less energy so they can save money on their monthly electric bill," said Jim Burke, CEO of TXU Energy. "This contest is a fun and innovative way to help our customers accomplish that by making energy efficiency habits part of their everyday lives. Sharing their results with others through our online community also enables our customers to help each other."
This year's contest will again feature an online component, the Power Saver Challenge Simulator, which allows participants to estimate the energy efficiency of their home. Depending on what decade their home was built, the simulator provides suggested improvements to help reduce a home's impact on the environment.
TXU Energy Power Saver Challenge 2 also features a complete online resource center for energy management that serves as a one-stop-shop for customers to learn ways to be more energy efficient. From energy efficiency tips, to the Energy Fit Club widget that serves as a personal energy consumption advisor, the online resource center can help customers use less energy and save more money. For those still deciding whether or not to participate in the TXU Energy Power Saver Challenge 2, the TXU Energy online resource center also has videos from last year's contestants.
Current and new TXU Energy residential customers can enter the TXU Energy Power Saver Challenge 2 starting today through June 15 online at www.txu.com/powersaver simply by answering a short questionnaire and submitting a brief essay on why saving energy is important. While entering the contest, visitors to the site can also find energy-saving tips and hints, and even obtain discounted energy-saving light bulbs.
Fifteen entrants will be chosen as semifinalists and will be asked to submit a brief video on why they and their home should be selected to advance to the final round. Three finalists will be selected from among the semifinalists- one each from North Texas, Southeast Texas and South Texas. Each finalist will win an HD video camera, a $5,000 cash fund to use for home energy improvements, and two free comprehensive in-home energy audits with energy-saving recommendations. Semifinalists who do not move on to the finals will be awarded a $100 TXU Energy bill credit.
The three final contestants' home audits and energy improvements will be videotaped as part of the TXU Energy Power Saver Challenge 2 to enable Web voting to help select the Grand Prize winner. Contestants will be judged by a panel of energy experts based on improvement in the Home Energy Rating System (HERS) Index, Web voting, and energy-savings behavior. The Grand Prize winner will receive $25,000 cash.
About TXU Energy
TXU Energy is a market-leading competitive retailer that provides electricity and related services to more than 2.2 million electricity customers in Texas. TXU Energy offers a variety of innovative products and solutions, allowing both its residential and business customers to choose options that best meet their needs, including exceptional customer service, competitively priced electricity service plans, innovative energy efficiency options, renewable energy programs and other electricity-related products and services. Visit www.txu.com for more information about TXU Energy.