Media Contact: Karl Walquist, (775) 834-3891

Sierra Pacific Power has awarded grants totaling $52,300 to eight nonprofit organizations in Reno and Sparks and two in Gerlach so they can invest in energy efficiency improvements that will reduce their power bills.

The combined annual energy savings from the projects is expected to be approximately 66,245 kilowatt hours of electricity, or about $7,900 annually, according to Larry Rackley with Sierra Pacific Power's Energy Efficiency and Conservation Department. A typical northern Nevada household consumes approximately 8,880 kilowatt hours of electricity per year.

"This is a valuable program because it provides energy cost savings to nonprofit organizations that operate on very tight budgets while serving their communities,"said Mary Simmons, vice president of external affairs for Sierra Pacific Power.

The Reno and Gerlach nonprofit groups receiving the grants will be using them for the following energy efficiency projects:

* Catholic Community Services of Northern Nevada, $7,500 grant for energy efficient lights;

* Crisis Call Center, $5,000 grant for energy efficient lights and window film;
 
* HAWC Community Health Center, $4,950 grant for motion sensors to reduce lighting costs;

* Junior Achievement, $7,212 grant for energy efficient fluorescent lights;  

* SPCA of Northern Nevada, $5,000 grant for an energy efficient furnace;

* Ridge House, $5,000 grant for motion sensors to reduce lighting costs;

* Washoe Arc, $3,700 grant for motion sensors to reduce lighting costs;

* Washoe Legal Services, $5,833 grant to make energy improvements to lighting and windows;

* Gerlach General Improvement District, $5,000 grant for energy efficient fluorescent lights;

* And Nevada Health Centers in Gerlach, $3,105 grant for a dual pane, energy efficient entry door.

Sierra Pacific will also be awarding $40,667 in energy efficiency grants to eight additional nonprofit groups in other northern Nevada communities for a total of $92,967.  The utility awarded $106,448 in energy efficiency grants to agencies in northern Nevada during 2006.