Media Contact: Karl Walquist (775) 834-3891

The Carson City School District has earned a $15,068 incentive payment from Sierra Pacific Power Company for energy efficiency improvements at four schools in Carson City.

The school district is receiving the payment through the utility's Sure Bet for Schools program, which rewards schools for investing in energy efficiency.

Incentive payments totaling $226,435 are going to six school districts in northern Nevada, as well as Truckee Meadows Community College, Sierra Nevada College in Incline Village and Western Nevada Community College in Carson City.

Energy efficiency measures implemented by the schools are expected to save up to 3.7 million kilowatt hours of electricity annually, or enough energy to serve about 430 households for a year, according to John Hargrove, project manager for Energy Efficiency and Conservation at the utility. 

"Sure Bet for Schools offers a great opportunity for the schools to reduce their energy bills, and a way to share information about projects and products,"Hargrove said. 

To obtain energy conservation savings, the Carson School District replaced existing fluorescent fixtures and lights with high efficiency fluorescent lights at Carson High School, Carson Middle School, and in the multipurpose rooms at two elementary schools, Seeliger and Fritsch. 

The energy efficiency improvements in Carson City are expected to reduce the school district's electricity usage by an estimated 80,740 kilowatt hours annually.