Nevada appliance rebate funds depleted

(AP) - A $2.5 million pot of federal stimulus money to help Nevadans buy energy-efficient appliances has been snatched up in a little less than two weeks.

But a spokesman for the state energy office said Thursday that residents who missed out can still sign up in case others who reserved rebates don't follow through with a purchase.

"For that reason, we're encouraging as many people as possible to sign up for a waiting list," said Sean Sever, outreach coordinator for the Nevada State Office of Energy. Applicants can sign up at www.nevadaappliancerebate.com or by calling 1-877-273-6213.

Nevada launched its program at 12:01 a.m. April 17. By Thursday morning, all available money was reserved. Compared with other states, Nevadans were slow to take advantage of the rebates funded with $300 million nationwide from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

Texas and Florida launched their programs earlier this month, and each burned through its allotment of vouchers in less than two days. In Massachusetts, a rush of participants for the first-come, first-served vouchers crashed a computer server, then drained the program of all its funding in 21⁄2 hours.

The government's cash for appliances program, which offers Nevada households up to $600 in savings on Energy Star products, is aimed at helping the environment while giving a boost to local retailers.

Nevada's program provides rebates of $200 for refrigerators, $150 for freezers and washing machines and $100 for dishwashers. Appliances must replace older, existing ones, and the program allows for one rebate per appliance for a particular address.

Reserving a rebate is the first step. After a confirmation is received, an applicant has 14 days to buy an eligible product from a participating retailer. Participants also must submit proof that the older appliance was properly disposed of before rebates are issued.