Mason County PUD No. 1 is celebrating the completion of two large commercial lighting energy conservation projects in partnership with Brinnon School District and the Skokomish Tribe.
In 2024, the PUD received two energy conservation grants from Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), one for commercial lighting projects and one for a low-income appliance rebate program. The Skokomish Tribe partnered with the PUD to replace commercial lighting for their Tribal business offices, daycare, healthcare clinic, and police station. Brinnon School District also signed on to upgrade lighting in their K-8 school as part of their facility modernization project. PUD 1 serves electricity along the west end of Hood Canal into the town of Brinnon in south Jefferson County.
“We’re very excited to bring these grant dollars to Mason and Jefferson Counties and to partner once again with the Skokomish Tribe and Brinnon School District to help them save energy and lower their electric bills,” said Cassandra Steiger, PUD 1’s Conservation Specialist. “The folks at BPA have been great to work with, helping us put these conservation funds to good use. We’re thankful that they chose to fund our projects and for providing support along the way.” The two commercial lighting grants, totaling $28,828, are estimated to produce savings of 133,900.54 kilowatt hours each year, which translates to over $10,734 in annual energy costs.
In addition to the lighting program grants, the PUD also received $182,000 for low-income households to purchase new energy-efficient washers and dryers, as well as ductless heat pumps. The PUD collaborated with Shelton’s South Sound Appliance to prequalify 20 low-income customers for new appliances. Twenty-five qualifying households also received new ductless heating/cooling units through this grant program.
“We know that energy burden is a real thing many families struggle with, and it is exasperated during times of extreme weather. While these grants may be small overall, they are meaningful to the families who don’t have the funds to make the appliance upgrades or to install more efficient heating and cooling systems in their homes. They’re also meaningful to the school and Tribe who each have many competing needs that are higher priorities for the people they serve than lighting projects,” said Steiger. “That’s where the PUD partnerships come in. It’s a very rewarding part of my job that I get to help connect people with these resources.”
Although the grant funded programs are complete, Mason PUD 1 still has annual conservation funding through BPA that connects customers with rebates for heat pumps, qualifying Energy Star appliances, and commercial lighting. Customers should consult with the PUD prior to making purchases to be sure they qualify. Information is available at www.mason-pud1.org/rebates/ or by calling Cassandra Steiger at (360) 877-5249.