Members of Mid-Carolina Electric may begin applying for the program on March 1. The deadline to submit an application is April 30.  Applications will be available in the March edition of the member magazine, South Carolina Living, or by clicking this link www.helpmyhouse.org/roofupgrade .  

 

Mid-Carolina Electric will participate by retrofitting the roofs of selected manufactured homes in their service territory. Insulating foam will be installed over existing roofs and then a metal roof or a heavy duty membrane will be installed and weather sealed. Each retrofit roof is designed to promote energy efficiency. The roof should significantly reduce the summer cooling load by reflecting the suns energy. In the winter, the additional insulation offered by the roof will help keep heat inside the home.

 

The state-wide study, called “Help My House,” will test different approaches to cost-effective energy solutions in more than 1,200 homes. Manufactured homes, many of them older less efficient models, make up nearly 20 percent of South Carolina housing. For electric cooperatives, the number is even higher at 24 percent. That’s three times the national average.

 

Data from the study will enable utilities and policy makers to determine which energy efficiency approaches have the greatest impact and should be emphasized in the future.

 

The South Carolina Budget and Control Board’s State Energy Office awarded Central Electric Power Cooperative, Inc., the cooperatives’ wholesale power supplier, $2.9 million for the state-wide study. Central Electric’s additional funding brings the total budget to $3.3 million. The grant is part of the $68 million in federal economic stimulus funds awarded by the U.S. Department of Energy.

 

The Help My House study is the latest in a series of measures co-ops in South Carolina are taking to save energy and money. Since 2008, the co-ops have given away more than two million energy efficient compact fluorescent light bulbs to consumer-members. And last year, the co-ops awarded home energy efficiency makeovers to seven families in the state valued at up to $10,000. More information on that program is available at www.HelpMyHouse.org

Scott Bryant, Electric Cooperatives of South Carolina’s vice president for loss control and training, presented the award saying, “Congratulations to all employees of Mid-Carolina Electric Cooperative for the extraordinary efforts you have put forth in the prevention of injuries and related losses.”

 

The cooperative has also been chosen to receive the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce Commendation of Excellence Award, honoring South Carolina companies with top safety records. This is the second year in a row Mid-Carolina Electric has received this award.

 

Mid-Carolina Electric celebrated two years without a loss time accident in November of 2009. The cooperative places a high emphasis on safe work practices with continuous training and evaluation of activities.