Released on April 24, 2003
SaskPower, in co-operation with the Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association (SUMA) and Saskatchewan Research Council (SRC), is undertaking a pilot project to determine options for financing and implementing an energy management service for community facilities.The Community Energy Management Service pilot will see the installation of energy efficient lighting, motors and system controls in facilities such as an ice rink, community centre and municipal office, thereby achieving lower operating costs through reduced energy bills and maintenance costs. The pilot will determine how these energy savings can be used by the facility operators to offset the initial capital cost of installing the equipment.
"I'm delighted that SaskPower, SUMA and the SRC are working together on this initiative to explore extending SaskPower's Energy Solutions program to Saskatchewan communities," Crown Investments Corporation Minister Maynard Sonntag said. "Increasing energy efficiency through retrofits financed from energy consumption savings has proven successful for larger volume electricity consumers. This pilot will define the potential benefits for operators of community facilities."
Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association President Mike Badham says he is pleased that SUMA's partnership with SaskPower has resulted in a pilot project for a community program.
"Optimizing energy consumption is just one of the many ways Saskatchewan communities are looking to provide their citizens value for their tax dollars. It's good for the environment, it's good for the community and it's good for the bottom line," Badham said.
Peter Prebble, Legislative Secretary to the Premier for Energy Conservation notes, "This community pilot is a component of the Green Power portfolio of initiatives announced in the recent Throne Speech. Experience from other jurisdictions shows that communities can save up to 20% of total energy use, paying for retrofits through energy saving over 7 to 10 years. As a community driven initiative, I anticipate this pilot will achieve made-in-Saskatchewan solutions that address climate change and strengthen local economies."
The pilot project will be located in a community, or group of communities, with a total population of 1200 to 3500 and will involve municipal and community owned facilities. Community selection for the pilot, which is being undertaken through the assistance of SUMA, is expected to be announced in mid-May. The Saskatchewan Research Council will manage engineering, project management and all other required technical components for the pilot.
Based on the outcome of pilot, SaskPower will undertake a further community demonstration project to determine how an energy management service could be expanded to a wider base of facilities and operations within a community or communities. A permanent community service would be added to SaskPower's energy performance contracting (EPC) portfolio, which is part of the corporation's Energy Solutions program.
SaskPower, through a partnership with Honeywell Ltd, currently offers energy performance contracting to large commercial and institutional customers.
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For More Information, Contact:
| Larry Christie SaskPower Regina Phone: (306)566-3167 Email: lchristie@saskpower.com Cell: (306)536-2886 | Keith Schneider SUMA (Executive Director) Regina Phone: (306)525-4387 |