January 11, 2013
For Immediate Release
Contact:

Mara Hartmann
Entergy Mississippi, Inc.
mhartma@entergy.com



Cold air moving into the state in mid-January

JACKSON, Miss. - After an unseasonably warm start to the new year, Mississippians will get to turn on their furnaces and light their fireplaces in mid-January, thanks to a cold front moving into the state.

In addition to the discomfort cold weather brings, there is also the added cost to keep homes and businesses warm.

Entergy Mississippi, Inc. reminds customers that a little conservation, a few lifestyle changes and some savvy bill management can go a long way toward staying comfortable while controlling energy costs.

"Saving on energy costs doesn't have to mean giving up on comfort," said Gloria Johnson, customer service director for Entergy Mississippi, Inc. "Many of the same, simple do-it-yourself projects that help keep our homes comfortable in summer can help keep a lid on winter energy bills."

The Top Five Energy-Savers:

  • Adjust the thermostat. During winter months, set the thermostat to 68 degrees. Every degree higher can add 3 percent to your bill.

  • Conserve hot water. Wrap your electric water heater with a water heater blanket and set the thermostat to 120 degrees or medium. Replace air and furnace filters every 30 days or as required by the type of filter.

  • Use energy-efficient bulbs when replacing light bulbs. Entergy recommends Energy Star-qualified compact fluorescent light bulbs that use 70 percent less energy. These bulbs also last up to 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs.

  • Seal air leaks. Weather-strip around doors, windows and any location where there may be a path from the inside of your home to the outside.

Entergy Mississippi customers can find more tips, as well as clear, do-it-yourself videos, to help put these ideas to work at entergymississippi.com/your_home/save_money/.

Entergy Mississippi also offers ways to help customers manage their bills. Customers can take advantage of options such as Level Billing and Pick-A-Date.
For the elderly and disabled who may be in crisis, Entergy Mississippi offers The Power to Care, a program that partners with The Salvation Army to help pay energy bills for those who qualify.

Low-income Mississippians may also qualify for the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program. LIHEAP funds help people pay energy bills and other energy-related expenses. For information on how to apply for assistance, call 1-800-421-0762 or visit the state Division of Community Services Web site at mdhs.state.ms.us/cs_info.html.

Whatever choice a customer may make, it's worth remembering that Entergy Mississippi has more ways than ever to stay in touch through its text messaging features and smart phone app. To learn more, go to entergymississippi.com and click on myAccount.

"People value a reliable, simple solution for getting important information," Johnson said. "By offering updates by cellphone, Entergy Mississippi provides a service that's portable, convenient and up-to-the-minute."

Entergy Mississippi, Inc. provides electricity to more than 437,000 customers in 45 counties. It is a subsidiary of Entergy Corporation. Entergy Corporation is an integrated energy company engaged primarily in electric power production and retail distribution operations. Entergy owns and operates power plants with approximately 30,000 megawatts of electric generating capacity, including more than 10,000 megawatts of nuclear power, making it one of the nation's leading nuclear generators. Entergy delivers electricity to 2.8 million utility customers in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. Entergy has annual revenues of more than $11 billion and approximately 15,000 employees.



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