CHENNAI: TANGEDCO has launched a free training programme for owners and staff of electrical appliance showrooms to encourage people to use energy-efficient appliances and lower their electricity bills.
The training sessions began in October, and are being conducted by energy consultants in shops, schools, and colleges. “The programme’s main mantra is ‘Raise your hands, save your electricity’,” said a senior Tangedco official.
Training sessions were recently held in Chennai and Tiruchy, and Madurai, Coimbatore, and Salem could be the next cities on the list.
“The Central government gives star ratings to household electrical appliances. Appliances with a higher rating operate more efficiently with less electricity,” said C Manivanan, an energy consultant, adding that higher star ratings could help customers save at least Rs 100 on their electricity bills.
He added, “Through the campaign, customers can buy quality electrical appliances.” The ratings, given by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency supervised by the Ministry of New Renewable Energy signify an appliance’s ability to conserve energy.
How the star rating system works
Each appliance gets between one and five stars, signifying power efficiency. For example, a 5-star AC is more energy-efficient than a 3-star AC. A 5-star AC would consume about 1.5 units of electricity per hour, while a 3-star AC would consume 1.6 units