KFDA - NewsChannel 10 / Amarillo News, Weather, SportsNew law leaves old light bulbs in the dark

New law leaves old light bulbs in the dark

Amarillo, Texas - New Year's Eve may be one of the last times you'll be able to buy a 100-watt light bulb. 

The light bulb has pretty much remained unchanged since Thomas Edison invented it back in the 1880's, but starting January 1st, the light bulb as you know it will be a thing of the past. 

A new federal law requires all light bulbs to be 24% more efficient, leaving Edison's invention in the dark.

The new energy efficient bulbs are going to cost you, in some cases as much as five times as much as the regular ones, but they'll also last about ten times longer, which means money savings in the long run.

Xcel Energy's Wes Reeves says "For instance, if you replace a 100 watt incandescent with a 30 watt compact florescent you can save $78 over the life of that bulb, so it's quite significant."

Earlier this month, political red tape stripped the new law of the funding needed to enforce the regulations, but most manufacturers say they've already invested millions in the new technology, so they're going ahead with phasing out the old bulbs.