PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Contact Drake Rice, Director of Member Services, 405/340-5047
Okeene Senior High School Receives DEEP Rebate Check For $990
On September 6th, Okeene Mayor Wayne Carter and Drake Rice, Oklahoma Municipal Power Authority (OMPA) Director of Member Services, presented a $990 rebate check from OMPA’s Demand and Energy Efficiency Program (DEEP) for the installation of an energy efficient chiller at the high school to Okeene Public Schools Superintendent Ron Pittman on behalf of the OMPA Board of Directors. Also attending the check presentation was Keith Richardson, Okeene Light and Water Superintendent, Sunny Hernandez Rutz, Okeene Utility Clerk/Emergency Management Director, and Tom Willis, OMPA Member Services Energy Engineer.
“This is the first such award for the Town of Okeene and demonstrates the commitment by the Town of Okeene to promote energy efficiency within the community. The award also recognizes the effort by the local public schools to pursue measures that will not only reduce their electric energy use, but help with protecting the environment,” said Rice. The installation of the chiller at the Okeene Senior High School located at 301 North 6th Street is the first commercial/industrial business in Okeene to receive a DEEP rebate check.
“The Okeene Public Schools selected a Carrier chiller for the Okeene Senior High School that improved the energy efficiency of the unit and reduced the energy demand to the school by an estimated 55,328 kWh and 9 kW of demand,” Willis stated. “While the amounts of kW and kWh reduction are small,” he said, “the impact for the school and the city will be a significant step towards holding down electric rates for Okeene Power and its customers.”
Willis explained the process involved in Okeene Public Schools qualifying and being awarded the DEEP rebate. “Richardson, who also serves on the school board for the Okeene Public Schools, happened to mention in front of Hernandez Rutz that the high school’s chiller went out and had to be replaced. She contacted Superintendent Pittman about how the city could possibly help with the costs of a new chiller and she then contacted me.”
He continued, “I went to Okeene and reviewed the program with Mr. Pittman. I then assisted him with contacting vendors to get quotes for a more energy efficient chiller that would meet the cooling needs of the high school.” “The cooperation demonstrated between city personnel and their customers allows me to talk with the city’s commercial and industrial customers about the advantages of DEEP,” Willis added. The new unit was installed at the high school before classes started in August.
DEEP assists OMPA’s 38 member cities with their qualified customers to reduce their electric service energy demands and costs. This program provides rebates to commercial and industrial customers that implement retrofits that reduce their demand at peak times. These projects include lighting, HVAC, refrigeration, commercial food service equipment, pumps and motors. The reduction of these demands help keep energy rates as low as possible and delays the need to add additional OMPA generation capacity to the system.
Okeene Public Schools also took advantage of the Municipal Electric Systems of Oklahoma’s (MESO) loan program in order to purchase the chiller. The Town of Okeene applied for an interest-free loan in the amount of $50,000 on behalf of the Okeene Public Schools, which is one of the customer assistance programs provided by MESO. MESO energy conservation loans are available for projects that improve energy efficiency and the chiller at the Okeene Senior High School qualified for the loan.
The funds available for approved DEEP projects will be determined by the OMPA Board of Directors. Funds available for an individual project will be determined through submission of detailed project plans. For more information on DEEP, visit the OMPA website at www.ompa.com or contact Willis at twillis@ompa.com.
OMPA is a state governmental agency created by the legislature to serve cities and towns that own and operate their electrical distribution systems and is governed by the members. The Authority presently serves 38 municipally-owned electric systems in Oklahoma. This year marks a milestone for the consumer-owned public power entity – its 30th anniversary.
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