When do we spring forward our clocks?

By Kirk Mason (mason@wsbt.com)

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By WSBT News1

Story Created: Mar 4, 2009 at 11:38 AM EST

Story Updated: Mar 6, 2009 at 10:39 AM EST

Changing clocks is a new thing for many of our Indiana viewers, but the date we change our clocks is relatively new for both Indiana and Michigan.

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Peg Scott of Winona Lake asked a Good Question: “When do we spring forward our clocks?”

WSBT's Kirk Mason has the answer.

This weekend be prepared to lose an hour of sleep. Sunday morning we spring our clocks forward one hour. This will be the third year of changing clocks sooner.

We now always change on the second Sunday of March.

We also now fall back sooner in the fall.

Congress approved the change largely in an attempt to conserve energy, with energy prices going so high.

But Indiana Michigan Power spokesperson Marta Elliott told WSBT News they have not noticed a drop in energy use since the change.

And a study of Duke Energy's Indiana customers claims households spent $8.6 million more on electricity.

The study claims the savings on light was more than offset by higher air conditioning bills on hot afternoons and increased heat on cold mornings.

Michigan Congressman Fred Upton was big supporter of the change. His office points to a new study from the US Energy Department that says the opposite — that the change saves .5 percent on energy each day of extended daylight-saving time.

Indiana Michigan Power says the best way to cut down on energy use is for individual homeowners to take initiative, like not using energy at peaks hours between 2-6 p.m. every day. That is the peak time when businesses are using the most.

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