Early daylight time backers tout energy savings, despite confusion

0 Comments | AFP, March, 2007

WASHINGTON (AFP) — Americans are bracing for a confusing weekend that could spill over into the work week, resulting from an early change of clocks to daylight savings time.

Daylight, or summer time, begins the night of March 11-12, instead of the first weekend of April, as has been customary.

While some warn about havoc in scheduling and computer systems, reminiscent of the Y2K glitch when the year 1999 turned to 2000, others pointed out that the early switch was designed to reap benefits in energy savings.

Representatives Edward Markey and Fred Upton, who sponsored the amendment to the 2005 Energy Bill requiring the change, said it was expected by 2020 to save 4.4 billion dollars in energy bills and avoid the need to build more than three large electric...