Energy Retrofit Yields Big Savings for the Town of Jackson
CONTACT: Larry Pardee, Director of Public Works, Town of Jackson, lpardee@ci.jackson.wy.us
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 31, 2011. Energy Retrofit Yields Big Savings for the Town of Jackson.
Town of Jackson officials will receive a check in the amount of $457,711 from Lower Valley Energy (LVE) on Monday, November 7th. Lower Valley Energy, Jackson’s local energy provider, awarded the Town the energy efficiency rebate because of upgrades to the aeration system at the Town’s wastewater treatment plant (WWTP).
“The Town Sewer Plant is the largest energy consumer in Teton County,” explained Town of Jackson Mayor Mark Barron. “I credit Town and LVE staff for their efforts to upgrade our plant’s equipment and for this outstanding improvement to energy efficient. To earn a nearly half million dollar rebate from LVE is exceptional. The significant reduction in energy used at the Sewer Plant will be more financially meaningful to all users as utility rates continue to climb.”
The equipment upgrades resulted in extraordinary energy and financial savings for the Town. Specifically, the project will reduce the treatment plant’s power usage by an estimated 1.8M kWh/year, which is the equivalent of the electricity used by 83 average households in Jackson. The savings amount to 29% of total electricity consumption at the WWTP and 21% of all Town of Jackson’s facilities’ electricity use. These reductions will save approximately $64,000 a year on the Town of Jackson’s electricity bill.
“Lower Valley Energy is committed to energy conservation measures in our community and we are delighted to present these incentive monies to the Town of Jackson,” stated Jim Webb, President and CEO of LVE. “Because LVE is a member-owned utility company, large savings from a big consumer such as the Town of Jackson means that all Lower Valley customers save on their utility bills. The Town has been a great partner in energy reduction over the past few years and we look forward to further work with them.”
The total cost of the project was $1.3M, which was largely paid for with funding from a state grant and supplemented with the LVE rebate. When contract negotiations with an energy service company fell through for engineering and management of this project, Town staff used the results of the audit and took the work in house, further saving wastewater utility customers over $400,000 in fees. These upgrades were part of a much needed capital improvement at the plant and were slated to be completed in the near future. By leveraging energy efficiency grant funds and rebate dollars, the Town saved wastewater utility customers this large capital expense. In fact, NO town funds were spent on this project.
Earlier this year, the Town of Jackson and Teton County released results from the 10×10 Initiative, which aimed to reduce electricity and fossil fuel consumption 10% below 2006 levels by 2010. Because of delays with the WWTP project and a project at the Recreation Center, total reductions at the time the report was issued were 3% below 2006 levels. When the project at the WWTP is taken into consideration, Town and County operations are now over 10% below 2006 levels, surpassing the 10×10 goal.
Additional upgrades are nearing completion at the plant and will likely result in additional savings and more rebates in the future.
