Hospital, utility announce savings from energy program
by March 26, 2009 7:33 am 54 views
An energy-saving program between St. Edward Mercy Medical Center and OG&E reportedly saves enough electricity to annually power more than 1,350 Arkansas homes.
Officials with Oklahoma City-based OG&E are scheduled to present a $8,724 check Thursday (Mar. 26) to St. Edward as part of the utility company’s “Quick Start” program that encourages large electricity users to conserve energy.
The hospital switched more than 4,300 light fixtures to a “T-8” fixture that uses less wattage than previous fixtures. The process began in June 2002, according to a statement from St. Edward, and has replaced about 65% of the hospital’s total fixtures. OG&E pays St. Edward Mercy $2 per lamp replaced.
Total wattage reduced at the hospital is 1,525,232 kilowatt hours a year. Average Arkansas residential electricity usage in 2007 was 1,118 kilowatt hours, according to the federal Department of Energy.
In September 2007, the Arkansas Public Service Commission (APSC) ordered all investor-owned regulated utilities within Arkansas to offer energy-saving programs to their customers.