Karl Walquist, Sierra Pacific Power Company  (775) 834-3891
Mike Draper, R&R Partners- (775) 323-1611 or (775) 303-3252

In an effort to encourage energy conservation, Sierra Pacific Power Company has again launched its successful Refrigerator and Freezer Recycling Program.  Sierra Pacific is offering to pick up older, spare refrigerators for free and will pay participants $30 for each refrigerator that is recycled.

The program began June 1 and runs through Sept. 30, or until funds are exhausted.  Both refrigerators and freezers are eligible for the program, with a limit of two appliances per household.  All refrigerators and freezers must be between 10- and 27- cubic feet in size.  Refrigerators must be empty at the time of pick up and should be plugged in to show that they are working.

Refrigerator Recycling is available for all of Sierra Pacific Power Company's residential and small commercial electric customers throughout the company's service area in northern Nevada and northeastern California, including Lake Tahoe. For more information or to schedule a pick up, call (877) 811-8700 or visitwww.appliancerecycling.com.

Sierra Pacific Power Company is partnering with JACO Environmental to offer electric customers the opportunity to save energy and reduce their power bills.  The company estimates that customers can save $150 - $200 in energy costs each year if they replace their refrigerators that are 10 years old or older with newer, more energy efficient models.
 The JACO recycling process was recently recognized by the United Nations for its efficiency and effectiveness.  The process keeps 98 percent of the appliance material out of landfills while ensuring that any hazardous materials are safely destroyed.

The Refrigerator and Recycling Program has been very successful in past years.  Over the last two years Sierra Pacific Power Company collected over 2,500 refrigerators and freezers, saving close to 2 million kilowatt hours of electricity annually. That represents enough energy to power approximately 450 homes for one year.

“The Refrigerator and Freezer Recycling Program is a win-win situation for our customers,” said Bob Balzar, director of energy efficiency and customer strategy for Sierra Pacific. “Customers save on electric bills, have their appliance picked up for free, receive $30 and can be confident thattheir old appliance is being safely recycled.” He said the program benefits the environment by reducing the amount of materials that must be buried in landfills.

The energy savings realized from this program and other energy efficiency gains helps reduce the company's total electric demand, reducing the amount electricity that has to be produced at the company's power plants or purchased from other suppliers.

Sierra Pacific also hopes this program will encourage electric customers to replace their primary refrigerators with newer energy-efficient models. The average refrigerator or freezer manufactured before 1985 consumes about 1,500 kilowatt-hours (kWh) annually, costing over $100 a year to run.

Federal energy-efficiency standards have increased. New refrigerators and freezers are now more energy efficient, using approximately 450 kWh per year.