The big-ticket item on the electric bill, especially in cold
climates, for the 30 percent of U.S. households with electric
heat. Average cost per year: $817 Today's most efficient models
use half the power of units made before 1993. So the cost could
triple if you plug in the old icebox in the basement. Average
cost per year: $113 Energy use rises and falls with the
intensity of screen images, but the popular 42-inch-screen TVs
with plasma technology can burn three times the power of old
cathode-ray tube sets. Average cost per year: $50 - $60 The
42-inch LCD TVs use less juice than plasma but twice the power
of an old tube TV. In November, new Energy Star standards should
help consumers seek efficient models. Average cost per year: $38
- $40 The cable or satellite converter box adds to the energy
cost of TV viewing by sucking electricity at the same rate
whether turned on or off. Average cost per year: $27 Digital
Photo Frame Like many new gadgets, this adds just a little to
each electric bill, but policymake