To kick-start energy conservation in Maryland, Pepco is offering customers large discounts on energy-saving compact fluorescent light bulbs purchased at Home Depot and Costco stores in Montgomery and Prince George's counties. Instant discounts will be offered at the register--$1.50 on a single bulb, and $3 on a multi-pack.

Pepco employees will call attention to the program Tuesday afternoon by handing out free bulbs to evening rush-hour commuters leaving Metro Transit Stations at New Carrollton in Prince George's County and the Silver Spring Metro Transit Station in Montgomery County, between 4:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.

Energy Star^®-certified compact fluorescent bulbs use about 75 percent less electricity than standard incandescent bulbs and have a life span of up to 10 times longer. Replacing a standard bulb with a CFL can save about $42 in electricity over the lifetime of a bulb.

"We know our customers want affordable energy bills and reliable electric service," says Thomas H. Graham, President, Pepco Region. "Offering discount CFLs is the first step in Pepco's plan to help customers manage their energy use, improve reliability and help the environment by reducing fossil fuel emissions from power plants."

If every Pepco residential customer in Maryland replaces one 60-watt incandescent bulb with one 15-watt equivalent CFL bulb, the company estimates that the electricity savings would be enough to light more than 170,000 homes for one month.

A list of participating stores and other energy-saving ideas can be found on Pepco's Web site at www.pepco.com. Pepco's discount compact fluorescent bulb offer will run for three years. Pepco will pay the retailers the difference between the discounted price of the bulbs and their regular sale price.

The Maryland Public Service Commission, which regulates the state's utilities, recently approved Pepco's compact fluorescent light bulb program. Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley has a set a goal to reduce per capita electricity consumption in the state by 15 percent by the year 2015.

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Pepco, a subsidiary of Pepco Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: POM), delivers safe, reliable and affordable electric service to more than 745,000 customers in Maryland and the District of Columbia. ENERGY STAR is a program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to help consumers and businesses save energy and money and fight global warming.