SWEPCO’s energy efficiency program recognized by EPA
by April 4, 2016 2:30 pm 240 views
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has recognized AEP Southwestern Electric Power Co. (SWEPCO) as a 2016 ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year for the company’s energy efficiency program in Arkansas.
This is the second year in a row SWEPCO has received the ENERGY STAR recognition. SWEPCO, a subsidiary of Ohio-based utility giant American Electric Power, serves more than 527,000 customers in western Arkansas, northwest and central Louisiana, northeast Texas and the Texas Panhandle.
The EPA Energy Efficiency Program Delivery award recognizes SWEPCO’s successful implementation of the Home Performance with ENERGY STAR (HPwES) program in Arkansas, which promotes the use of EPA-certified products and technologies that help improve home performance. SWEPCO has been an HPwES partner since 2012.
“We are very pleased to receive the ENERGY STAR recognition for a second year,” said Phil Watkins, Energy Efficiency and Consumer Programs Manager for SWEPCO in Arkansas. “The SWEPCO staff, our implementation team from CLEAResult, and our network of contractors are dedicated to making improvements that increase comfort and energy efficiency for residential customers.”
During 2015, SWEPCO’s Arkansas program generated approximately 5.6 gigawatt hours (GWh) in energy savings, an increase of 238% over 2014. With restructured incentives and other changes, 767 single-family homes were completed for 1.8 GWh in energy savings. SWEPCO also began working with multifamily properties in the HPwES program, resulting in 811 units completed for 3.8 GWh in energy savings.
The HPwES program offers qualifying residential customers no-cost home energy assessments and necessary energy-efficient improvements that may include ceiling insulation, wall insulation, duct sealing, air sealing, and direct-installed measures such as CFL and LED bulbs, energy-saving showerheads and faucet aerators, and advanced power strips.
“AEP SWEPCO excels in delivering Home Performance with ENERGY STAR to its customers. AEP SWEPCO implemented successful approaches that can be replicated in programs across the country to improve the energy efficiency, health, comfort, and safety of America’s housing stock, said Ely Jacobsohn, EPA’s program manager for the energy efficiency program.
Today, the EPA’s ENERGY STAR program has 16,000 partners working to protect the environment through greater energy efficiency, including manufacturers, retailers, public schools, hospitals, real estate companies, and home builders. SWEPCO will be recognized in Washington, D.C. on April 13, 2016.