How Much Does It Cost To Run Christmas Lights In Wisconsin?

WISCONSIN -- The Holiday Season is here, and there's a good chance you've already ascended the ladder to decorate your home with an array of colorful Christmas lights.

All that extra lighting ends up costing you money, and you might wonder exactly how much more your electric bill will be at the end of the month.

WE Energies in Wisconsin has come up with a holiday lighting cost calculator. The calculator assumes a cost of 13 cents per kiloWatt hour and allows you to enter the number of lighting strands you are using in order to calculate your total bill:

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WE Energies Holiday Lighting Cost Calculator (link)

How Much Does Going LED Save?

By now, we all know that switching from incandescent bulbs to LED bulbs saves you money on power consumption. Granted, LED strands cost you more up-front, but after one season, you'll start saving money in the long run according to estimates.

But exactly how much?

Duke Energy has a cost calculator for that. Whether you're using larger C7 and C9 light strands or mini bulbs, Duke Energy studies show that the average consumer can save 90 percent on their holiday lighting power costs by switching to LED lighting. The calculator determines how much you'll have to pay from a month's use of single strands of lighting.

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Duke Energy Incandescent vs LED Lighting Cost Calculator (link)

Above All, Be Safe!

Eversource is offering holiday tips to help customers stay safe and save money, while being environmentally conscious:

• Never run extension cords under rugs or coil them tightly around themselves, which can cause them to overheat.
• Use a programmable timer for lights to ensure they aren't accidentally left on.
• Check extension cords for wear, and plug outdoor lights and decorations into GFCI outlets.
• Use advanced power strips where possible for all holiday lighting to eliminate standby energy loss.
• Turn off room lights when the tree is lit to save energy while creating a festive atmosphere.

For more holiday lighting and electrical safety tips, visit www.eversource.com.

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