OMAG Receives Rebate Checks Totaling $120,402.00
for Installing A Geothermal Heat Pump System

Glenn Fisher, Edmond Electric Director, and Cindy L. Holman, Oklahoma Municipal Power Authority (OMPA) General Manager, presented Pam Polk, Oklahoma Municipal Assurance Group (OMAG) Board of Trustees Chair, with rebate checks in the amounts of $66,890.00 and $53,512.00 for the installation of a geothermal heat pump system at OMAG’s new offices, 3650 South Boulevard, on April 27th on behalf of the City of Edmond and the OMPA Board of Directors.  The rebate checks were made available because of City of Edmond’s participation in OMPA’s Oklahoma Comfort Program (OCP) and OMPA’s WISE Rebate Program.  Drake N. Rice, OMPA Director of Member Services, and Palma Lough, OMPA Member Services Energy Services Specialist, also attended the presentation.

OMPA’s OCP uses funds from the Stimulus State Energy Program (SSEP), as administered by the Oklahoma Department of Commerce, to provide residential energy audits and rebates for Geothermal Heat Pump (GHP) systems.  Customers like OMAG who are designing new buildings can participate in the program, too.  OMPA administers the project, with assistance from the Geothermal Resources Council.  ClimateMaster Inc., a large Oklahoma-based manufacturer of GHP equipment, provides in-kind contribution to the project in the form of staff time, training for the public and professionals involved in the installation of GHPs, program promotion and other benefits.

When considered with other current incentives for GHP installations, GHP systems have never been so attractive.  First, OCP will provide customers with rebates of up to $1,000 per ton for qualifying GHP installations.  Second, in participating cities, this is in addition to the current OMPA WISE Rebate of $800 per ton for qualifying GHP installations.  And third, a Federal Tax Credit of 30 percent of the system cost (with no upper limit) is available to residential customers for qualifying GHP installations.

Commercial and residential customers who install GHP systems benefit from lower heating and cooling costs.  According to the U.S. Department of Energy, GHP systems can save customers 30 to 50 percent off the costs of heating and cooling compared with older systems.  In addition, GHP systems help OMPA member cities lower their electricity peaks in the summer and add winter load (when electric energy is at its cheapest).  Both of these improve the load factors of the member cities and lower the cities’ bills from OMPA, as well as lowering the Authority’s operational costs, which mitigate future rate increases.

According to its website, “The mission of the OMAG is to be the premier risk financing and loss prevention service provider for Oklahoma municipalities.”

OCP and this publication are financed in whole or in part by funds from the Stimulus State Energy Program (SSEP) as administered by the Oklahoma Department of Commerce.

OMPA is a state governmental agency created by the legislature to serve cities and towns that own and operate their electric distribution systems and is governed by the members.  The Authority presently serves 39 municipally owned electric systems in Oklahoma and is a non-appropriated state agency which is owned by the member cities it serves.

#

Photo Caption (Left to Right) Janice Cain (Oklahoma Municipal Assurance Group (OMAG) Board of Trustees Member, City of Marlow City Administrator, and Oklahoma Municipal Power Authority (OMPA) Board of Directors Member), Cindy L. Holman OMPA General Manager), Glenn Fisher (Edmond Electric Director), Pam Polk (OMAG Board of Trustees Chair and City of Collinsville City Manager), and Palma Lough (OMPA Member Services Energy Services Specialist) pose with rebate checks totaling $120,402.00 that were presented to OMAG for installing a geothermal heat pump system at its new offices, 3650 South Boulevard, in Edmond.  Fisher and Holman presented Polk with rebate checks in the amounts of $66,890.00 and $53,512.00 for the installation of a geothermal heat pump system at OMAG’s new offices on behalf of the City of Edmond and the OMPA Board of Directors.  The rebate checks were made available because of City of Edmond’s participation in OMPA’s Oklahoma Comfort Program (OCP) and OMPA’s WISE Rebate Program. 

MAY IS NATIONAL ELECTRICAL SAFETY MONTH

May is National Electrical Safety Month, and OMPA is joining with the Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI) to raise awareness about potential home electrical hazards and the importance of electrical safety.  This year’s campaign educates the public about emerging technologies and the electrical hazards associated with them.  These technologies include electric vehicles, solar power, wind power, and smart meters.

In the United States, home electrical failures or malfunctions cause more than 50,000 fires each year, resulting in 450 deaths, nearly 1,500 injuries, and over $1.5 billion in property damage, according to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA).  To help prevent electrical fires and incidents, it is vital that consumers know the ins and outs of their electrical system and understand the safety concerns associated with the latest residential technologies before bringing them into their homes.

ESFI is also reminding consumers that there are simple improvements that can be made to any home to increase electrical safety without undertaking a major renovation.  This includes the installation of arc fault circuit interrupters that prevent fires by detecting hazardous arcing conditions, ground fault circuit interrupters that prevent shocks and tamper resistant receptacles that replace standard wall outlets to protect children from shocks and burns. 

Electrical safety awareness and education among consumers, families, employees, and communities will prevent electrical fires, injuries, and fatalities.  Learn more about home electrical safety by visiting ESFI’s Virtual Home at http://virtualhome.esfi.org.

The Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI) sponsors National Electrical Safety Month each May to increase public awareness of the electrical hazards around us at home, work, school, and play. ESFI is a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization dedicated exclusively to promoting electrical safety. For more information about ESFI and electrical safety, visit www.electrical-safety.org.

#

Fairview Central Christian Church Receives $47,651.51 in Rebate Checks For Installation of a Ground Source Heat Pump System

On April 16th, Dale Sides, Fairview City Manager, and Tom Willis, Oklahoma Municipal Power Authority (OMPA) Member Services Energy Engineer, presented rebate checks in the total amount of $47,651.51 for the installation of a ground source heat pump system at the Central Christian Church of Fairview, 223 East Broadway, to Pastor Rev. Ronnie Hopkins.  Duane Smith, elder of the Christian Church, also attended the presentation. 

The rebate checks in the amounts of $30,420.00 from OMPA’s Oklahoma Comfort Program (OCP), $3,063.51 from OMPA’s Demand and Energy Efficiency Program (DEEP) and $14,168.00 from OMPA’s WISE Rebate Program, which was split between the city and OMPA, were presented on behalf of the City of Fairview and the OMPA Board of Directors.

According to Willis, “The installation of the ground source heat pump system replaces the church’s old HVAC and heating system.  It is estimated that the new system will save the church over 91,000 kWh of electric energy annually and will eliminate their gas heating bills.  Ground source heat pump systems help customers because they heat and cool homes and other buildings at the lowest operating costs.  These systems help municipal electric utilities by adding winter load and reducing summertime peaks.”

He continued, “The load reduction of 27.85 kW from the installation of the system helps keep energy rates as low as possible for our member cities and delays the need to add additional OMPA generation capacity to the system.  This allows member cities to hold the line on electric rates that are charged to their customers.”  “It is a win-win situation for our cities and their electric customers,” added Willis.

DEEP assists OMPA’s 39 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.

Using funds from the Stimulus State Energy Program administered by the Oklahoma Department of Commerce, OCP provides additional rebates of $1,000 per ton for the installation of ground source heat pump systems.  OCP also provides energy audits for residential customers in member cities, and training for contractors.  This is in addition to the $800 per ton rebate provided by the OMPA’s WISE Rebate Program, in participating cities.  The objective of OMPA’s energy service’s rebate program is to assist participating member cities in encouraging customers to purchase and install energy-efficient air conditioners and electric heat pumps.

The funds available for approved projects are determined by the OMPA Board of Directors.  Funding for individual projects is determined through the submission of detailed project plans.  Applicants must be an electric customer of an OMPA member city.  For more information on any of these energy-saving programs, contact the City of Fairview or visit the OMPA website at www.ompa.com.

OCP and this publication are financed in whole or in part by funds from the Stimulus State Energy Program (SSEP) as administered by the Oklahoma Department of Commerce.

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 39 municipally-owned electric systems in Oklahoma.

#

 Sunflower Farmers Market in Edmond Receives DEEP Rebate Check for $14,300

On April 11, Sunflower Farmers Market in Edmond, 24 East Second Street, was awarded a rebate check from Oklahoma Municipal Power Authority’s (OMPA) Demand and Energy Efficiency Program (DEEP) in the amount of $14,300 for a recent lighting upgrade.  City of Edmond Mayor Charles Lamb and Cindy L. Holman, OMPA General Manager, presented the rebate check to Ron Green, Store Director.  Mike Phillips, Sunflower’s Senior Director of Operations, Glenn English, Edmond Electric Director, and Bob Corff, Edmond Electric’s Energy Services Manager, also attended the presentation.

According to Tom Willis, OMPA Member Services Energy Engineer, “The lighting upgrade project reduced Sunflower Farmer Market store’s electrical demand by 106.8 kW and will save over 650,000 kWh of energy annually.”

DEEP assists OMPA’s 39 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.  In 2011, DEEP reduced demand by 1,360 kW with an estimated annual savings of over 5,000,000 kWhs.

“The reduction of these demands help keep energy rates as low as possible for our member cities and delays the need to add additional OMPA generation capacity to the system.  This allows member cities to hold the line on the electric rates that are charged to their customers.  It is a win-win situation for our cities and their electric customers,” added Willis.

The funds available for approved projects are determined by the OMPA Board of Directors.  City of Edmond Mayor Charles Lamb serves as the OMPA Board Chair.  Funding for individual projects is determined through the submission of detailed project plans.  Applicants must be a customer of an OMPA member city.  For more information on DEEP, visit the OMPA website at www.ompa.com or contact Willis at twillis@ompa.com.

Sunflower Farmers Market is a chain of full-service grocery stores headquartered in Boulder, Colorado and Phoenix, Arizona, which emphasizes value-priced natural and organic products.  Sunflower opened its first store in Albuquerque, New Mexico in 2002.  As of August 2011, Sunflower Farmers Market operates 35 grocery stores located in eight Southwestern states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, Oklahoma and Texas (where it formerly operated as Newflower Farmers Market).

The Oklahoma Municipal Power Authority (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 39 municipally-owned electric systems in Oklahoma.

#

Maurices’ Clothing Store Receives DEEP Rebate Check for $744.12

On April 10th, Janice Berryhill, Altus Power Utility Manager, and Tom Willis, Oklahoma Municipal Power Authority (OMPA) Member Services Engineer, presented a rebate check from OMPA’s Demand and Energy Efficiency Program (DEEP) in the amount of $744.12 for upgrading the lighting at Maurices’ Clothing Store, 1450 North Main (Bunker Hill Shopping Center), to Carol Armstrong, Store Manager.  The DEEP rebate check was for the store retrofitting the lighting to LED (light-emitting diode). 

According to Willis, “The lighting upgrade project reduced the store’s electrical demand by 3.72 kW.  The reduction of these demands help keep energy rates as low as possible for our member cities and delays the need to add additional OMPA generation capacity to the system.  This allows member cities to hold the line on electric rates that are charged to their customers.”  “It is a win-win situation for our cities and their electric customers,” added Willis.

DEEP assists OMPA’s 39 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 funds available for approved projects are determined by the OMPA Board of Directors.  Funding for individual projects is determined through the submission of detailed project plans.  Applicants must be a customer of an OMPA member city.  For more information on DEEP, visit the OMPA website at www.ompa.com or contact Willis at twillis@ompa.com.

According to Maurcies’ website, “What started in 1931 as a small women’s fashion shop in Duluth, Minnesota, has grown to over 800 stores in 44 states across the country.  Maurices is the leading small town specialty store and authority for the savvy, fashion conscious customer with a twenty-something attitude.”

The Oklahoma Municipal Power Authority (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 39 municipally-owned electric systems in Oklahoma.

#

Edmond Electric Recertified in CUP Program

During the City of Edmond’s City Council meeting on April 9th, Mayor Charles Lamb was presented with a $20,000 check by Cindy L. Holman, OMPA General Manager, on behalf of the Oklahoma Municipal Power Authority’s (OMPA) Board of Directors, recertifying Edmond as a Competitive Utility.  Mayor Lamb serves as the OMPA Board Chair.  Glenn Fisher, Edmond Electric Director, also attended the check presentation.

OMPA’s Competitive Utility Program (CUP) is a voluntary program, started in 1995, that provides the 39 member cities with a way to evaluate and improve the operation of their electric utilities, and make them better able to compete in the electric utility industry.  This program provides two types of reward – recognition in the form of certification, and financial rewards, which includes the check for $20,000. 

Edmond Electric was first certified as a Competitive Utility on April 1, 1996.  The municipally owned utility is recertified with five awards in management policies: two awards for rates, two awards for transfers, and one award for advanced marketing.    

“For the citizens of Edmond, CUP certification means that your community-owned electric utility is committed to excellence in its operation and delivery of safe, reliable and competitively priced electricity.  Edmond Electric is here to be of service and help to all of its consumers,” said Larry Stevens, Edmond City Manager.

The Authority is an organization that was created by Edmond and other cities that owned and operated their municipal electric systems in 1981.  After experiencing several years of wholesale power increases, 26 municipal electric systems, including Edmond, banded together to aggregate their power supply needs, and the Oklahoma legislature authorized the formation of OMPA.  Membership in OMPA has grown to 39 cities and towns in Oklahoma.

#

 Brumgards Receive Rebate Checks Totaling $18,342
for Installing Geothermal Heat Pump System

Altus Mayor David Webb, and Palma Lough, Oklahoma Municipal Power Authority (OMPA) Member Services Energy Services Specialist, presented residential customers Merle and Karen Brumgard with rebate checks in the amounts of $10,190 and $8,152 for the installation of a geothermal heat pump system at their house, 300 Paseo De Vida, on March 19th on behalf of the city and the OMPA Board of Directors.  The rebate checks were made available because of the city’s participation in OMPA’s Oklahoma Comfort Program (OCP) and OMPA’s WISE Rebate Program.  Dennis Murphy, Altus Power Meter Services Supervisor, Mike Villareal, Altus Power Operations Foreman, and Jimmy Wright, owner, Wright’s Comfort Solutions Inc. of Altus, also attended the presentation.

OMPA’s OCP uses funds from the Stimulus State Energy Program (SSEP), as administered by the Oklahoma Department of Commerce, to provide residential energy audits and rebates for Geothermal Heat Pump (GHP) systems.  OMPA administers the project, with assistance from the Geothermal Resources Council.  ClimateMaster Inc., a large Oklahoma-based manufacturer of GHP equipment, provides in-kind contribution to the project in the form of staff time, training for the public and professionals involved in the installation of GHPs, program promotion and other benefits.

When considered with other current incentives for GHP installations, GHP systems have never been so attractive.  First, OCP will provide customers with rebates of up to $1,000 per ton for qualifying GHP installations.  Second, in participating cities, this is in addition to the current OMPA WISE Rebate of $800 per ton for qualifying GHP installations.  And third, a Federal Tax Credit of 30 percent of the system cost (with no upper limit) is available to residential customers for qualifying GHP installations.

Residential customers who install GHP systems benefit from lower heating and cooling costs.  According to the U.S. Department of Energy, GHP systems can save customers 30 to 50 percent off the costs of heating and cooling compared with older systems.  In addition, GHP systems help OMPA member cities lower their electricity peaks in the summer and add winter load (when electric energy is at its cheapest).  Both of these improve the load factors of the member cities and lower the cities’ bills from OMPA, as well as lowering the Authority’s operational costs, which mitigate future rate increases.

OMPA is a state governmental agency created by the legislature to serve cities and towns that own and operate their electric distribution systems and is governed by the members.  The Authority presently serves 39 municipally owned electric systems in Oklahoma and is a non-appropriated state agency which is owned by the member cities it serves.

#

English Village Manor Nursing Home Receives DEEP Rebate Check for $3,077.62

On March 15th, Janice Berryhill, Altus Power Utility Manager, and Tom Willis, Oklahoma Municipal Power Authority (OMPA) Member Services Engineer, presented a rebate check from OMPA’s Demand and Energy Efficiency Program (DEEP) for upgrading the lighting at the English Manor Nursing Home  to Jan Winters, Executive Administrator of the nursing home.  The amount of the rebate check was $3,077.62.  English Manor Nursing Home is located at 1515 Canterbury Boulevard in Altus and is a 128-bed skilled nursing facility specializing in rehabilitation and long-term resident centered care.

According to Willis, “The lighting upgrade project reduced the nursing home’s energy demand by 23.7 kW.  The reduction of these demands help keep energy rates as low as possible for our member cities and delays the need to add additional OMPA generation capacity to the system.  This allows, them, the member cities, to hold the line on electric rates that are charged to their customers.”  “It is a win-win situation for our cities and their electric customers,” added Willis.

DEEP assists OMPA’s 39 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 funds available for approved 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 39 municipally-owned electric systems in Oklahoma.

#

OMPA’s Oklahoma Comfort Program has been EXTENDED

The Oklahoma Comfort Program (OCP) has officially been extended until August 31, 2012. However, all applications for rebates must be completed and received by OMPA by July 31, 2012.

Using funds from the Stimulus State Energy Program administered by the Oklahoma Department of Commerce, OCP is providing additional rebates of $1,000 per ton for geothermal heat pump (GHP) systems. This is in addition to the $800 per ton rebate provided by the Oklahoma Municipal Power Authority’s (OMPA) WISE Rebate Program, in participating cities. The Oklahoma Comfort Program also provides energy audits for residential customers in member cities, and training for GHP contractors.

“The Oklahoma Comfort Program has provided OMPA with a great opportunity to work with our member cities by providing excellent benefits to their consumers, while improving power supply economics for the OMPA system,” said OMPA General Manager Cindy Holman.

GHP systems help customers because they heat and cool homes and other buildings at the lowest operating costs. The OCP and WISE rebates, together with the 30 percent federal tax credit for residential customers, make the installation costs comparable with other heating and cooling systems. In fact, GHP systems will probably never be this low in installation costs. GHP systems help electric utilities by adding winter load and reducing summertime peaks.

Pre-qualifications are required. For more information please contact your municipal electric utility. 

OCP and this publication are financed in whole or in part by funds from the Stimulus State Energy Program (SSEP) as administered by the Oklahoma Department of Commerce.

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 39 municipally-owned electric systems in Oklahoma.

#

.

Energy Experts to Speak at AEE(OKC) Meeting on March 21

Oklahoma City, OK (March 7, 2012) – The Oklahoma City Chapter of the Association of Energy Engineers (AEE(OKC)) is pleased to announce that its first Lunch-and-Learn meeting of 2012 will take place on March 21. Three local energy experts will speak on “Energy Plans, Opportunities and Codes in Oklahoma”. The meeting is slated for 8:00 to 11:30 am, followed by lunch, at the OG&E Technology Center at 220 E Wilshire Boulevard, Oklahoma City, OK 73105.

James P. (Jay) Albert, Oklahoma’s Deputy Secretary of Energy, will speak about the Oklahoma First Energy Plan and strategic initiatives under way in Oklahoma. Temur Akhmedov, a LEED AP professional with Engineered Systems and Energy Solutions, Inc., will discuss energy-related challenges and current opportunities in facility management and new construction. Finally, a speaker from Guaranteed Watt Savers, Inc. will describe recent efforts to promote the adoption of building energy codes in Oklahoma and discuss the current status.

Anyone interested in the meeting is welcome to attend at no cost, and should contact Roger Farrer (rfarrer@ompa.com or (405) 359-2523) or Tim Thompson (thompstp@oge.com or (405) 553-8498) so that lunches can be planned.

Annual membership of AEE(OKC) is available for $50. This covers monthly newsletters and attendance (including lunches) at three Lunch-and-Learn meetings and the Green Building Summit in the fall.

About AEE
The Association of Energy Engineers is a 501(c)(6) non-profit professional organization that specializes in training, membership development, chapter development, and certification for professionals practicing in the fields of energy engineering and energy management, renewable and alternative energy, power generation, energy services, sustainability, and all related areas. The mission of AEE is to promote the scientific and educational interests of those engaged in the energy industry and to foster action for sustainable development.

For information about the Association of Energy Engineers, please contact AEE at (770) 447-5083, ext. 210, or visit www.aeecenter.org. For information on the local Oklahoma Chapter of AEE, please contact Roger Farrer (rfarrer@ompa.com or (405) 359-2523) or Tim Thompson (thompstp@oge.com or (405) 553-8498), or visit www.aeeokc.org.

#

.