More than 440 businesses and 40 schools have taken advantage of rebate programs designed to encourage energy conservation, saving millions of kilowatt hours and significantly cutting their power bills.

Since the programs began in June 2001, participating business members have saved more than 17 million kilowatt hours (kWh) per year, enough energy to supply more than 1,450 Flathead Valley homes.

Flathead Electric administers the rebate programs under an agreement with Bonneville Power Administration, a major supplier of energy to the Co-op. A total of more than $2.28 million in rebates has been returned to Flathead Electric members for energy-efficiency projects.

FEC offers two types of rebates to its commercial and industrial businesses. The Commercial Lighting Rebate program pays a portion of the cost to retrofit obsolete fluorescent light fixtures with new energy-efficient lamps and ballasts. The Industrial Rebate program provides technical support for large-scale projects where energy savings can be identified. The industrial projects must have prior approval by the Co-op.

An extensive effort by Kalispell’s School District 5 included converting virtually every lighting fixture in each school to a more energy-efficient style. The project resulted in a rebate of $268,653 to help pay for $2.8 million in energy improvements expected to save millions in energy costs over the next 10 years.

Plum Creek, a large industrial Co-op member, submitted three energy-efficiency projects, resulting in a rebate of $196,982. The projects are expected to save more than 2 million kWh annually.

A number of small rural schools completed lighting conversion projects and received rebates.

Many businesses and churches also applied for rebates, ranging from a few hundred dollars for small-scale efforts by mom and pop businesses to large projects such as $54,900 in rebates for revamping electrical fixtures at the Flathead County Justice Center.

"Flathead Electric encourages all members to conserve energy. We recognize the additional investments made by all these participants to benefit the Co-op’s electrical system and all members," said Wade Harris, Energy Management Analyst. "Beyond reducing their monthly energy bill, members are playing a role in delaying expensive investments in FEC’s power distribution system."