MOLINE, Ill. — The temps are starting to dip lower and lower as December stretches into January, and Ameren Illinois has a deal that'll help its customers save up to 20% on their heating bills in the meantime.
In a partnership with Google, qualifying Ameren Illinois customers can visit this website to get a smart thermostat for their home through Dec. 31. The Google Nest Thermostat is 100% free with no hidden fees, taxes or shipping fees.
"An average customer can expect to save 10 to 12% on their energy bills, especially with specifically their heating costs with a smart thermostat," said Energy Efficiency Advisor Angie Ostaszewski with Ameren Illinois.
Overall, Ameren says this giveaway is about giving customers more control to help them put their energy where and when they need it.
"As it's getting colder, we're trying to provide our customers with resources to manage their energy usage, especially with this upcoming cold snap," Ostaszewski said. "So we've partnered with Google to operate these thermostats at no cost to the customer."
The thought of a smart thermostat can be a little scary to those who aren't used to the technology, however, Ameren and Google say it's easier to use than one may think.
"Angie and I both have smart thermostats installed in our place. And she had her husband install hers, I installed mine, it took about five minutes after watching a quick tutorial step-by-step video," said Tyler Barron, a consumer advocate with Environmental Law & Policy Center. "But if you're an older person or somebody who may not be as familiar with this type of technology, any qualified electrician should be able to install this in just a couple of minutes."
Those who want to take advantage of this need to be current Ameren Illinois electric or gas residential delivery service customers who heat their homes with natural gas or electricity from Ameren Illinois. Propane heat households do not qualify. Only one thermostat is allowed per residential customer.
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