The Great Light Bulb Robbery

By Steve Milloy —— Bio and Archives November 3, 2009

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The Great Light Bulb Robbery has been called off in Ohio due to consumer outrage.

In early October, Akron, OH-based First Energy planned to force consumers to buy two compact fluorescent lightbulbs for $21.60 -- bulbs for which the utility paid only $3.50 each. The utility then planned to charge consumers $0.60 more per month to make up for lost electricity sales due to the bulbs' energy efficiency. But as Akron's WYTV reported,

After taking a huge public relations hit when it tried to force all its customers to buy energy-efficient light bulbs, First Energy is making a new proposal. The electric company is now asking the Public Utilities Commission to approve a voluntary program so that those who don't want or need the mini-florescent lights don't have to pay for them.

The scam would have netted First Energy $7.6 million -- more than the $7 million (in 1963 dollars) netted during the August 1963 Great Train Robbery. Green is the 21st century term for "stand and deliver."