The Public Service Company of Oklahoma (PSO) awarded the IC Bus Tulsa Plant with a $142,000 check for installing high-efficiency lighting fixtures.
PSO said IC Bus invested more than $420,000 to replace 1,000 metal halide fixtures that ranged from 250 to 1,000 watts each with T-5 fluorescent fixtures, which are estimated to save more than 1.5 million kWh hours of electricity per year and to lower the facility’s electric bill by approximately $75,000 a year.
The new lighting upgrades qualify for incentive payment under PSO’s Business Solutions program, which assists commercial and industrial facility owners conserve energy and save money by implementing “high-value energy efficiency projects.”
“We are always looking for ways to improve our business and operations at the plant,” said Greg Hutchison, manager of IC Bus’ Tulsa plant. “PSO’s Solutions Program, combined with the ongoing cost savings, validates our investment in energy efficiency and helps us maintain a competitive edge.”
PSO said incentives are paid for qualifying projects based on the calculated energy savings resulting from the improvements. PSO Consumer Programs Coordinator Kerry Rowland added that the Business Solutions program has local businesses reduce electrical demand and hold down costs.
“We identified a real need for an energy efficiency program that specifically targets business facilities, especially as budgets are spread thin,” said Rowland. “By partnering with IC Bus to reduce energy costs, their valuable resources can be used for other needs.”
Read more about what IC Bus and other school bus manufacturers are doing to “green” their facilities in the August edition of School Transportation News.
