Interstate Power and Light Co. (IPL), an Alliant Energy company, announced today (Friday), that it will cycle air conditioners for all participating Iowa customers. Weather conditions are such that from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. today customers enrolled in the Appliance Cycling program will have their air conditioner cycled in 15-minute intervals to reduce overall energy usage.

Participating residential customers have a small control switch placed on or near their central air conditioner. Today, Alliant Energy will send a signal to all switches in the state. The control switch will cycle the outdoor cooling unit off and on every 15 minutes. The furnace fan will continue to circulate the cooler, drier air already in the home. 

Alliant Energy pays each participating residential customer $8 per month from June through September – whether the air conditioner is cycled or not. A similar program for electric water heaters is also included in today’s event. Customers enrolled in that program receive a $2 per month discount during the same June through September time period. 

Appliance Cycling events typically occur between May 15 and September 15 on weekdays from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. They are not initiated on weekends or holidays.

The Red Oak City Council, Thursday, approved the hiring of a Virginia man to succeed former Fire Chief Rick Askey, who has retired from the position. During a special meeting Thursday afternoon, the Council agreed to hire James Blount III, who has served with the Wythe, Virginia Fire and Rescue Department, since 1994. Blount is tentatively scheduled to take over the position of Red Oak Fire Chief on July 30^th. 

His starting salary will be $50,000 per year. Blount will bring his family with him when he transfers to Red Oak. They include his wife and four sons.