Comcast Lights ‘Energy Rewards’ Pilot In Pennsylvania

The cable bundle is about to get bigger…and maybe a bit more electrifying. After hints of a cable-energy partnership bubbled up in January, Comcast and a unit of NRG Energy have lit up a pilot that offers a variety of perks and rewards, including prepaid Visa cards and three free months of HBO, Showtime or Starz, to Comcast subs in Pennsylvania who enroll in of two new energy programs. The test program, called Energy Rewards, teams Independence Energy Group (IEG), a wholly owned subsidiary of NRG Energy, with Comcast. SNL Kagan analyst Deborah Yao first spotted the Energy Rewards Web site. A Comcast spokesman confirmed that the trial got underway. The perk-filled Energy Rewards program, offered only to Comcast subscribers in Pennsylvania, currently offers two energy plans: a six-month, variable “Guaranteed Savings” plan that offers a 10% savings off the utility’s price, and a fixed plan that locks in a price for 12-month period. There are no cancellation fees, according to the Energy Rewards FAQ. The local utility will continue to bill those customers for electricity, but Energy Rewards members are also in line to obtain several special offers, including a $25 Visa Prepaid Card for enrolling in the program, and a three month “extended freeview” of HBO, Showtime or Starz. [March 11]