Utility garners energy efficiency recognition

El Paso Electric (EPE) has received the 2018 ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year Award for its kilowatt-hours savings and energy efficiency initiatives.

Officials said EPE’s accomplishments will be recognized by the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy during a ceremony in Washington, D.C. later this month.

EPE saved customers 381,935 kWh during 2017 in the New Mexico ENERGY STAR New Homes Program and more than 1,590 million kWh since 2010, officials said, noting the utility also provided incentives for 65 ENERGY STAR certified homes.

“The 2018 ENERGY STAR Partners of the Year have demonstrated real leadership, showing how American families and businesses can save energy, save money, and reduce air emissions,” Bill Wehrum, EPA assistant administrator for Air and Radiation, said.

In 2016 alone, ENERGY STAR certified products, homes, buildings, and plants helped Americans save over $30 billion in energy costs and approximately 400 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity and while achieving broad emissions reductions.

“We’re very proud of this recognition because it means that our community places a lot of importance on energy efficiency, and we want to continue supporting the measures that help our residents and businesses save energy,” Susanne Stone, El Paso Electric’s director of Energy Efficiency and Commercial Services, said.

EPE provides generation, transmission, and distribution service to 418,900 retail and wholesale customers in a 10,000-square-mile area of the Rio Grande Valley in west Texas and southern New Mexico.