Gahanna, Ohio, September 25, 2013 – When Eleanore Naffziger’s refrigerator was made, Pluto had just been discovered and the Great Depression was underway. Naffziger’s 1930 refrigerator has tied with a Cleveland area resident’s 1930 fridge for the title of Ohio’s Oldest Fridge.
Naffziger’s 1930 refrigerator is one of two winners in Ohio’s Oldest Fridge Contest, and the winner in AEP Ohio’s service territory. She earned the prize after scheduling to have her 1930 General Electric model picked up for recycling through AEP Ohio’s refrigerator recycling program. In addition to the $1,250 prize, Naffziger also received the guaranteed $50 incentive that every customer receives for participating in the program.
When Naffziger purchased her home in 1972, the ancient refrigerator was already 42 years old. While still functioning when crews came to retrieve it for recycling, Naffziger had been using the refrigerator to store painting supplies.
“I didn’t think those guys would be able to get that heavy thing out of the house, but they did!” Naffziger said.
Naffziger’s refrigerator was one of thousands of refrigerators and freezers picked up throughout Ohio during a joint effort between utilities to seek out the oldest functioning fridge in the state. In addition to uncovering the state’s oldest-working refrigerators, the campaign succeeded in saving the state a significant amount of energy by eliminating these and many more less-aged, but still outdated, devices from the electric grid.
All AEP Ohio customers can save money and earn a $50 incentive by recycling older, inefficient appliances. To participate in the program, AEP Ohio customers can simply call 1-877-545-4112, or visit AEPOhio.com/WasteLess. The program is limited to the removal of two units per household. Appliances to be recycled must be in working order, with inside measurements between 10 and 30 cubic feet — standard size for most models.
Recycling refrigerators and freezers creates many benefits for AEP Ohio customers and the environment. Many people don’t realize older refrigerators and freezers can use up to three times more energy than newer models built to higher energy-efficiency standards. By recycling, program participants can save up to $150 a year through lower electricity costs by not operating an older refrigerator or freezer.
Units picked up through the program are transported to an appliance recycling facility operated by JACO Environmental. JACO safely removes hazardous materials from the old energy-guzzlers, reclaiming 95 percent of the materials in the appliances for reuse in manufacturing new products. Even the foam insulation is safely incinerated to generate electricity.
AEP Ohio encourages consumers to take advantage of all cost-saving measures. There are programs and incentives to make your whole house energy efficient. Go to AEPOhio.com/WasteLess to learn more.
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Investor-owned utilities in Ohio are required to meet specific energy reduction targets. AEP Ohio’s overall energy efficiency and peak demand response efforts were established to meet the State of Ohio target of reducing electricity consumption 22 percent by the end of 2025. For more information about AEP Ohio’s energy efficiency consumer programs, events and tips, visit AEPOhio.com/WasteLess.
AEP Ohio provides electricity to nearly 1.5 million customers of major AEP subsidiaries Columbus Southern Power Company and Ohio Power Company in Ohio, and Wheeling Power Company in the northern panhandle of West Virginia. AEP Ohio is based in Gahanna, Ohio, and is a unit of American Electric Power.
American Electric Power is one of the largest electric utilities in the United States, delivering electricity to more than 5 million customers in 11 states. AEP ranks among the nation’s largest generators of electricity, owning nearly 38,000 megawatts of generating capacity in the U.S. AEP also owns the nation’s largest electricity transmission system, a nearly 39,000-mile network that includes more 765 kilovolt extra-high voltage transmission lines than all other U.S. transmission systems combined. AEP’s transmission system directly or indirectly serves about 10 percent of the electricity demand in the Eastern Interconnection, the interconnected transmission system that covers 38 eastern and central U.S. states and eastern Canada, and approximately 11 percent of the electricity demand in ERCOT, the transmission system that covers much of Texas. AEP’s utility units operate as AEP Ohio, AEP Texas, Appalachian Power (in Virginia and West Virginia), AEP Appalachian Power (in Tennessee), Indiana Michigan Power, Kentucky Power, Public Service Company of Oklahoma, and Southwestern Electric Power Company (in Arkansas, Louisiana and east and north Texas). AEP’s headquarters are in Columbus, Ohio. News releases and other information about AEP can be found at aep.com.
MEDIA CONTACTS:
AEP Ohio
Fay White
866/641-1151
dfwhite@aepohio.com
FrazierHeiby
Denise Clark
614/481-7534
dclark@frazierheiby.com