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NV Energy, formerly Sierra Pacific Power, is distributing over 41,000 free compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) to teachers, administrators and staff in 10 rural school districts in northern Nevada served by the utility.

"We've worked closely with local school districts over the past few years through our Sure Bet for Schools program to assist the schools with projects to make their facilities more energy efficient,"said John Hargrove, energy efficiency and conservation program manager for NV Energy."These lights will help school district employees to be more energy efficient at home, and they'll help reduce the demand for energy in northern Nevada."

NV Energy representatives will be traveling to the schools starting today to provide each school district employee with a 12-pack of energy efficient ENERGY STAR qualified CFLs. CFLs consume 75 percent less energy than incandescent bulbs, last  7 to 10 times longer and emit less heat."A single 12-pack of CFLs can save up to $540 on energy costs for a homeowner over the life of the bulbs, assuming an average electricity cost of 12 cents per kilowatt hour,"Hargrove said.

Lights will be provided to school districts in the following counties: Elko, Esmeralda, Eureka, Humboldt, Lander, Lyon, Mineral, Nye, Pershing and Storey.

NV Energy has distributed over 490,000 CFLs in northern Nevada in 2007 and the company expects to distribute about 763,000 by the end of 2008. While some have been given away to utility customers most have been sold at substantially discounted prices at several retail outlets, including Home Depot, Lowe's, Ace Hardware, Wal-Mart, Costco, Big Lots and Amazon.com. For more details, visit the company's website at NVEnergy.com.

Sierra Pacific Power Company, now doing business as NV Energy, is the electric utility for most of northern Nevada and the Lake Tahoe area of California. NV Energy also distributes natural gas in the Reno-Sparks area of northern Nevada.