It's called ComEd Residential Real-time Pricing Program. The service allows customers to only pay for the electricity they use, as opposed to a fixed or a blended rate.

That means if we decide to do our laundry, run our dish washer, vacuum or do anything else that uses electricity, after 6 p.m., the cost of that electricity we use is going to decrease. The later it gets, the lower the rate and the less we have to pay. That's because electricity is more expensive during daytime hours. The price will start to increase again after 8 a.m. It will also be cheaper on weekends.

Anyone can sign up for the program, but ComEd leaders say there are certain people will get more use out of the service.

"Someone who can shift their use of electricity to the evening hours or weekends, or people who are not at home during the day. You have households where the husband and wife work, kids are at school, no one is at home during the day so the likelihood would be they use less electricity during the day than they use in the evenings or weekends," says ComEd spokesman Paul Callighan.

The only requirement is that we sign up for one full year. On average, a family who uses real-time pricing, with an electric bill of $120 a month, can save about $10 or $12 on their monthly bill.

We also have to have a special meter. That will run us $2.25 per month. But ComEd leaders say the real-time pricing plan will still offset that cost and save us money in the end.

So far, 99% of customers who have signed up, have saved money on their monthly ComEd bill.

Total, 9,000 residents have signed up for the pilot program, only 12,000 customers have the opportunity, at least until the end of 2010. That's when ComEd leaders will review the program and decide whether to expand it.

For more information or to enroll, visit www.theWattSpot.com.

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