The state’s $18 million rebate program for energy-efficient appliances and home improvements was overwhelmed this morning when it began at 8 a.m.
Still, the program — Recharge Colorado — issued about 8,600 rebate reservations by 3:30 p.m., said Todd Hartman, spokesman for the Governor’s Energy Office.
Most of the rebates reservations were for home appliances — such as refrigerators, clothes washers and dishwashers, Hartman said.
Some people seeking rebates for appliances or home installation reported difficulty getting onto the program’s Website this morning.
Due to heavy volume the insulation and air sealing applications were taken off-line, but restored at about 10:30 a.m., according to the Governor’s Energy Office. But an hour later, all the rebate programs except the one for appliances were down.
Some callers to the program’s call center reported they received a message directing them to the Website.
By 10 a.m., however, callers were getting through to the center after about a 10-minute wait.
“I phoned the number,” Dorlene West wrote in an email after initially having trouble contacting the program, “… waited about 10 minutes and I got a lovely lady who took all my information.”
The program is funded with federal economic stimulus money and applicants must first get a rebate reservation and then go out and buy the appliance or contract for the energy-efficient home improvement.
The program will not provide rebates for appliance or repairs already done or under contract.
The rebates range from $50 for an energy-efficient dishwasher to up to $4,500 for a electric solar panel array.
The rebate program is online at or call 800 462-0184.
Mark Jaffe: 303-954-1912 or MJaffe@denverpost.com
