Louisiana Public Service Commissioner Foster Campbell is awarding more than $1.2 million in grants to local governments and parish school systems in Northwest Louisiana to promote energy efficiency.

Energy upgrades funded by the grants include high-efficiency LED lights in buildings operated by local public agencies.

“These improvements will lower electric bills by thousands of dollars for these public institutions,” Campbell said.

The LPSC Energy Efficiency program for public entities and political subdivisions is an offshoot of the commission’s “Quick Start” Energy Efficiency program, which since 2013 has helped residential and commercial utility customers lower their electricity consumption across Louisiana. Participating utilities are SWEPCO, Entergy and CLECO.

“Energy Efficiency is a cost-effective way to reduce energy costs, improve building comfort and preserve our environment,” Campbell said. “Every dollar that our local governments and public bodies save on their electric bills is a dollar that can help them improve service to the public in other ways.”

The recipients of Campbell’s 2020 efficiency grants for Northwest Louisiana public institutions are:

· Caddo Parish School Board: $455,250
· Town of Vivian: $39,893
· Town of Oil City: $25,855
· City of Bossier City: $350,000
· The Port of Caddo-Bossier: $85,000
· Town of Logansport: $14,186
· Town of Stonewall: $67,290
· Village of Pleasant Hill: $9,919
· Caddo Parish Fire District 8: $60,348
· Village of Converse: $2,500
· Village of Natchez: $75,000
· Village of Ida: $19,941
· Village of Hosston: $3,702

Funding for the LPSC Energy Efficiency program for public entities comes from a surcharge on electric bills paid by cities, parishes and other political subdivisions served by SWEPCO, Entergy and CLECO. Campbell announced $1 million in 2020 efficiency grants to Northeast Louisiana local governments on Monday in Monroe.

The next round of LPSC District 5 grants will be awarded in 2021. The deadline for applying is January 31, 2021.

For more information, contact Gary Hobbs in Campbell’s LPSC District 5 office in Shreveport, 318-676-7464.