ALBUQUERQUE, NM – Today, PNM announced that over the last ten years, customers saved energy equivalent to what's needed to power 470,090 homes for a year. PNM launched its suite of popular energy efficiency programs in 2007 to help residential and business customers save energy and money. These programs have provided more than $80 million in customer rebates and helped save almost 3.2 billion kilowatt hours of electricity. By reducing the amount of electricity generated, these programs have kept an estimated 2 million metric tons of carbon dioxide out of the air and saved 1.1 billion gallons of water.
 
"Helping both residential and business customers save money by becoming more energy-wise is an important part of what we do, and they've done an incredible job over the past 10 years," said PNM Vice President of External Affairs, Becky Teague. "There are many reasons for customers to be energy efficient, including lowering energy bills and improving the environment in which we all live. Many customers are surprised by how many programs we have in place just for them, and they're pleased to learn that PNM is a great resource for helping them save."

Below are a few energy efficiency program highlights:

The PNM Refrigerator Recycling program has recycled 82,677 old, inefficient refrigerators and freezers for residential and business customers, picked them up for free and paid them a rebate to take those energy draining units off the grid while keeping them out of landfills. The energy saved from this program alone is equivalent to powering 51,306 homes for one year, saving 123,576,933 gallons of water, and taking 45,020 cars off the road, avoiding CO2 emissions.
 
Energy efficiency kits have been distributed throughout the state to fifth graders through the PNM Home Works program, high schoolers through the PNM Energy Innovation program, and low income residential customers through the Easy Savings Kit program. PNM customers received 90,805 kits full of items to help them save energy and money. By installing these kit items, the energy they helped save is equivalent to powering 16,948 homes for one year, saving 40,822,707 gallons of water, and taking 14,872 cars off the road, avoiding CO2 emissions.
 
PNM Business Energy Efficiency programs have helped local businesses save energy and reduce their electric bills, which enables them to put more money into their core business. PNM business customers completed 5,795 projects over 10 years. The energy they helped save is equivalent to powering 174,213 homes for one year, saving 419,617,917 gallons of water, and taking 152,869 cars off the road, avoiding CO2 emissions.
 
The PNM Home Energy Checkup program is very popular with residential customers. 9,678 customers have received an in-home energy assessment by a PNM energy ambassador, which includes installation of energy efficient items such as light bulbs and smart power strips. The energy they helped save is equivalent to powering 2,408 homes for one year, saving 5,799,376 gallons of water, and taking 2,113 cars off the road, avoiding CO2 emissions.
 
The High Efficiency New Home Construction program helps make living more energy efficient easy for customers right off the start, incentivizing builders for being energy conscious. Through the program, 2,539 high efficiency new homes were built, resulting in energy savings equivalent to powering 3,163 homes for 1 year, saving 7,618,536 gallons of water, and taking 2,775 cars off the road, avoiding CO2 emissions.
 
The PNM Home Lighting Discount program offers residential customers in-store and online savings on energy efficient light bulbs. The program began with compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs) and has evolved to now incentivize Light Emitting Diode (LED) bulbs. PNM customers received 10,880,941 lighting rebates and discounts. The energy customers helped save is equivalent to powering 176,785 homes for one year, saving 425,812,797 gallons of water, and taking 155,126 cars off the road, avoiding CO2 emissions.
 
For more information about PNM Energy Efficiency Programs, please visit pnm.com/save or pnm.com/bizrebates.