PP&L Spectrum has been awarded a $4 million contract by the School District of Lancaster to install energy-efficiency improvements in school buildings and provide money-saving energy management services.
"This contract represents a 10-year energy partnership with the school district," explained Daniel J. Persa, PP&L Spectrum vice president. "Our comprehensive program is tailored to the district's needs and provides guaranteed annual energy cost savings."
"This contract with PP&L Spectrum is the result of a two-year effort by district staff and community members to use some of the operating costs currently spent on utility bills and reinvest those dollars in capital improvements," noted Robert A. Schoch, business manager of the School District of Lancaster.
"We expect the project to result in more reliable, more comfortable and more energy-efficient buildings," he added. "We welcome the partnership with PP&L Spectrum and plan to focus the efforts of our staff by using Spectrum's expertise to achieve our energy cost-saving goals."
The School District of Lancaster, with 11,500 students and almost 1,100 faculty and staff employees, is one of the largest school districts in Pennsylvania. The district evaluated proposals from several energy services companies before choosing PP&L Spectrum.
PP&L Spectrum is a subsidiary of PP&L Resources, Inc., a multifaceted energy company focused on customers' needs. PP&L Spectrum markets innovative energy solutions that meet its customers' business objectives.
"Our proposal to the school district was based on detailed engineering studies of the district's 20 buildings and discussions with administrators and staff to determine the best way we could meet their needs," Persa said.
The contract includes heating, ventilation and air-conditioning improvements; lighting improvements; and a new energy information system that will enable the school district to collect data and monitor energy use in all its buildings.
PP&L Spectrum is teaming with Viron Energy Services, a subsidiary of York International, to do the work, which will be completed by the end of the year.
After the improvements are in place, PP&L Spectrum and Viron will monitor the school district's energy use monthly for the next 10 years to make sure the district is realizing the expected cost savings.
"Our partnership will have immediate paybacks in better, more energy-efficient classroom lighting and lower costs for heating and cooling of school buildings," Persa said.
"It also has long-range paybacks by giving the school district better energy use data so it can negotiate appropriate contracts with energy suppliers in the competitive market that is coming to Pennsylvania," he added.