First Choice Power Grants Provide More Than $50,000 to Support Energy Efficiency Programs in Texas

IRVING, Texas, June 2, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- First Choice Power today announced that it will award more than $50,000 in Reduce Your Use Grants™ to nonprofits, schools and chambers of commerce to fund energy-efficient programs and upgrades. The recipients applied for grants in the winter grant cycle which ran from February to March.

"Reduce Your Use Grants take the financial burden of energy-efficient upgrades away from schools and nonprofits so they can focus on their mission of serving others," said Brian Hayduk, president, First Choice Power. "We believe that saving energy not only benefits these organizations now but will also be a great investment for the future."

Grant recipients include food banks, museums, charitable organizations and many others; they will use their grants for projects such as installing new lighting, adding energy-efficient window tint and installing EnergyStar® appliances. All 30 recipients are expected to save a total of approximately $25,000 on energy bills in the coming year.*

"We will share information about energy efficiency through outreach to low-income families through our agencies and to our employees and volunteers," said Terri Drefke, executive director of the Food Bank of the Rio Grande Valley, which received a grant to install energy-efficient lighting. "Everyone can conserve energy and save money and resources when they have knowledge. Knowledge is power."

Schools will also benefit from ongoing savings due to energy-efficient upgrades.

"By replacing older TVs and VCRs with more energy-efficient models, our school will use less energy and we will be a good role model for our students by showing that our school is actively looking for ways to conserve energy," said Martha Mock of William Lipscomb Elementary in Dallas.

First Choice Power will begin accepting applications for the fall 2011 grant cycle in September. To learn how to apply for a grant or to read about all the latest winners, visit www.FirstChoicePower.com/Reduce.

*Savings an estimate based on www.doe.gov

About First Choice Power First Choice Power is an energy company committed to identifying what is most important to our customers and putting their needs first. Texas business and residential customers can depend on First Choice Power for competitive pricing and excellent customer service. First Choice Power is committed to giving back to the communities it serves through its Food First ™ hunger initiative, Reduce Your Use Grants, recycling efforts and supporting employees' community engagement. Learn more at www.FirstChoicePower.com. Keep up to date on the latest energy news and join the conversation by following us on Twitter @firstchoicepwr, Facebook facebook.com/FirstChoicePower or The Current blog, http://www.firstchoicepower.com/blog.  

PUCT REP Certification No. 10008 | First Choice Power Special Purpose, L.P.

SOURCE First Choice Power