Frequently Asked Questions

Investing in energy-efficiency programs helps our customers reduce their energy usage. This reduces the need to build new power plants, makes rates more manageable and reduces the environmental impact from carbon emissions, promoting better air and water quality for the communities SWEPCO serves.

Start by viewing the list of available rebates on our website. Some upgrades you can complete yourself, such as purchasing new furnace filters, advanced power strips, and ENERGY STAR® appliances, and some require installation by a service provider, such as HVAC systems and insulation upgrades.

Customers completing HVAC, insulation and air sealing, and pool pump upgrades must use a participating SWEPCO service provider in order to receive the SWEPCO rebate, which is discounted off the final contractor invoice. Customers are responsible for the remaining balance of the service after rebates.

You must use a participating SWEPCO service provider to participate in home rebates. If your contractor is interested in becoming a SWEPCO service provider, they can sign up online here. After a complete application is submitted, an account manager in the area will contact the contractor to complete the registration and required training.

No. The work must be completed by a participating service provider to receive a SWEPCO rebate.

Yes! Check out our full list of rebates and submit an application here.

Standard processing time is between four to six weeks from date of submission.

Contact us online to check the status of your rebate application.

You can contact us online.

Your home comparison is calculated using information in your home energy profile. To get the best comparison possible, go to your account at swepco.com and update your home’s information, including the type of heating and cooling, age, square footage, and more.

Similar homes are a group of about 100 homes that are similar in size to yours, and are located close to your home. These homes represent homes similar to yours, but do not necessarily include the homes on your block or in your immediate neighborhood.

To provide valid comparisons, we choose specific homes that are nearby and have characteristics that typically lead to similar energy needs, such as home size and heating source. And importantly, we only include homes that appear to be occupied at the time of the comparison.

Our goal is to provide you with a comparison that is valid and meaningful. Currently, our report comparisons include 100 similar, nearby, occupied homes, and our research shows that for almost all residents, this 100-home average is a good indication of typical usage. However, there are some factors for which we don’t account, such as the number of occupants in the home and special loads like hot tubs and swimming pools.

It’s understandable that some people may have life or housing circumstances that make it difficult to reduce their home’s energy use. We aim to provide a wide range of ideas that can address the various needs of our customers and their homes. We encourage you to find out which tips are best for you and search for more ideas. In some cases, you may not be able to realize substantial energy savings, but we’ve found that most people can realize at least some energy savings, and we hope we can help you do so.

Efficient households likely take a variety of steps to reduce their electric use, including using the thermostat to manage heating and cooling costs, turning off lights and electronics when not in use, and always running full loads in the dishwasher, washer, and dryer. The reports provide actionable steps that you can take to help make your home more efficient.

The square footage of your home that we use in the home energy report is based on data that is collected from your county assessor’s office. If the square footage on your report is not correct, you can update your home energy profile on swepco.com.

A kilowatt-hour (kWh) is a way to measure electricity use. A 100-watt light bulb uses 1 kWh every 10 hours.

Browse our site to find energy-saving products, rebates and tips. Energy.gov and the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy are good, independent resources for additional information on energy savings.

We are providing this service as an educational tool to help you understand your home’s energy use and to share ideas on how you might be able to save money. If you would like to be removed from the program for any reason, you can opt out by contacting us online or by phone at 1.888.216.3523.

SWEPCO’s business rebates help commercial and industrial customers reduce the upfront costs to make energy efficient upgrades more affordable — so you can see a quicker return on your investment.

SWEPCO offers rebates for lighting, insulation, ENERGY STAR®-certified appliances, HVAC, refrigeration, and more. If there is an energy-efficient upgrade that you don’t see on our list of eligible upgrades and rebate amounts, it may qualify as a custom upgrade.

No, you can use a service provider of your choice. However, we recommend working with a SWEPCO service provider who has received SWEPCO program-specific training to make your upgrade process seamless.

Pre-approval is required for all custom applications, installation of 100+ high bay/exterior fixtures or 500+ total fixtures, and/or if the total rebate for all upgrades is estimated to be $5,000 or more.

If your project does not require pre-approval, you must submit the application within 60 days of the final invoice date.

If pre-approval is required, you must wait until you receive the pre-approval letter before proceeding with purchase and installation. The pre-approval letter will be sent to the email you provided during application submission.

• Payee Designation Form if the rebate should go to a third party (copy is provided during application submission)
• Manufacturer’s specification (cut) sheets for all equipment installed
• Signed SWEPCO Business Rebates Terms and Conditions from either the customer or authorized rep (provided during application submission)

The following documents may be provided if available:

• Bid or quote that lists the improvement quantity and type
• COMcheck or Equipment Document (listing model numbers, wattages, quantities, and area square footage)
• Lighting layout
• Drawings
• Lighting schedule

• Signed pre-approval letter (not required if pre-approval was not required)
  Invoice (if complete) – must include the following:
  • “Invoice” heading
  • Invoice date
  • Company name or address
  • Quantity shipped
  • Equipment model numbers
• Payee Designation Form if the rebate should go to a third party (copy is provided during application submission)
• Manufacturer’s specification (cut) sheets for all equipment installed
• Signed SWEPCO Business Rebates Terms and Conditions from either the customer or authorized rep (provided during application submission)

The calculator bases the savings for both kWh and annual energy costs on average values for three building sizes (small, medium, and large) from past SWEPCO Business Rebate projects. This is an estimate based on the type of measures and building size selected using the calculator. The determination of building size (small, medium and large) is based upon ASHRAE standards. The electric rate assumed is $0.06/kWh.

The simple payback period refers to the amount of time it takes to recover the cost of the upgrades. Simply put, the payback period is the length of time it takes for your investment to reach its break-even point. After the payback period, you start getting a return on your investment through energy bill savings. The payback period is calculated in years.

The savings included in the business calculator are estimates. Exact savings will depend on your precise building size, the current state of your building, and the energy-saving upgrades you choose to complete.

LED lighting offers a great return on investment (ROI) with a short payback period commonly under two years. Combining lighting with other energy-saving upgrades to your building can improve the financial viability of making multiple upgrades at once by reducing the total payback period while increasing your annual energy and bill savings. Lighting can represent up to a third of your total energy bill, so switching to qualifying LEDs can lighten your annual and peak building loads instantly.

The calculation includes the average cost of the measures, annual energy savings, annual bill savings, total rebate, and payback period.

Assumptions

Electric Service Rate
$0.06/kWh

Energy Impacts
Energy savings are estimated based on historical SWEPCO Business Rebate projects.

Payback Period
Payback period in years = Total cost of project/Total annual savings from project

Estimated Costs and Rebates
The savings calculations are based off past projects of similar size that have been completed through the SWEPCO Business Rebates program. The building size options are based upon ASHRAE standards.