 |
<< return to News page
Utility Adopts Pilot Program to Reach Out to Commercial Customers
Mar 11 2010
Elmhurst Mutual Power & Light, a small utility serving 14,000 customers in an unincorporated area south and east of Tacoma, Wash., was interested in starting a conservation program to help its customers save energy and control operations cost by investing in energy efficiency solutions. Their challenge? Limited staff and resources to organize a program and reach out to the small number of commercial and industrial customers in their service territory. Just 24 employees serve 12,000 residential and 2,000 commercial and industrial customers.
“Forty percent of our customer base is living below the poverty level with many unable to afford their monthly power bill. Because we run a lean operation, we don’t have the luxury of investing in new staff and new programs. But we knew our commercial and industrial customers could benefit from a conservation program,” said Dan Brooks, Elmhurst’s general manager, and the manager of the conservation program.
BPA’s 2009 Energy Smart Commercial Lighting pilot project was the solution to Elmhurst’s situation. Northwest TAN staff joined forces with Elmhurst to educate business customers and trade allies about the potential savings available through energy efficient lighting upgrades.
“The pilot was enormously successful in helping us establish new relationships and contacts with customers, and identify potential projects ripe for savings,” said Brooks. “To date we’ve completed 54 lighting audits, and signed agreements for 10 projects — including our local family fitness center and an auto parts store — that represent 180,753 kwh in energy savings. The results have convinced our board to continue the program for another year.”
|
|
