According to Energy Star and Santee Cooper, a refrigerator made before 1993 might be costing you more than $100 each year to operate. Modern refrigerators use much less energy than older models thanks to recent improvements in insulation and compressors, and Energy Star qualified refrigerators are required by the U.S. Department of Energy to use 20 percent less energy than non-certified models.

In fact, new Energy Star certified refrigerators use less energy than a continuously running 60-watt light bulb.

Energy Star says if you replace a refrigerator from the 1980s with a new Energy Star certified model, you’ll save more than $100 each year in utility bills. And if you’re still using a refrigerator from the 1970s, Energy Star says you could save nearly $200 each year by upgrading to a new Energy Star model.

The savings are even sweeter for Santee Cooper customers, because the state-owned utility is now offering the following refrigerator rebates to its residential and commercial customers:

• $35 to recycle a working refrigerator manufactured before 1993.

• $40 toward the purchase of a new Energy Star refrigerator.

• $75 toward the purchase of a new Energy Star refrigerator and to recycle one working refrigerator manufactured before 1993.

• $110 toward the purchase of a new Energy Star refrigerator and to recycle two working refrigerators manufactured before 1993.

Santee Cooper will be responsible for picking up and recycling your old refrigerator for free. For more information visit www.ReduceTheUse.com or call 1-866-706-3985.

Consumers not in the market for a new refrigerator can still reduce the amount of energy their refrigerator uses by following these simple steps:

• Keep your refrigerator set between 35-38ºF and your freezer set to 0ºF.

• Position your refrigerator away from heat sources like an oven, a dishwasher or direct sunlight.

• Leave a few inches between the wall and the refrigerator.

• Keep condenser coils clean.

• Make sure the refrigerator seals are airtight; replace inadequate seals.

• Minimize the amount of time the refrigerator door is open.

For more on Energy Star refrigerators, including a calculator that will estimate how much money you could save by replacing your old refrigerator with an Energy Star model, visit www.energystar.gov.