PUC says it is helping the Sault Area Hospital (SAH) save an estimated $3 million on energy bills over the next ten years.
The utilities company says the new Customer Energy Management (CEMa) Program has been created to help larger electrical customers reduce their electricity bill.
The full statement from PUC reads as follows:
PUC Services Inc. is proud to announce a new innovative program that will help the Sault Area Hospital (SAH) save an estimated three million dollars on its energy bill, over the next ten years. PUC has created the Customer Energy Management (CEMa) Program, to help its larger electrical customers reduce their electricity bill.
The program will provide SAH with improved power reliability and quality while reducing energy bills through the use of a battery energy storage system. This will allow SAH to store electricity during off peak hours and use it during peak rate times, which are the busiest part of the day for the hospital.
“This program will provide substantial savings to SAH, allowing the hospital to redirect those funds to important and essential health care services and equipment for our region,” said Robert Brewer, President and CEO of PUC Services Inc.
“The PUC’s vision is to improve communities through curiosity and innovation and we strongly believe this program does exactly that.” “Since joining the Industrial Conservation Initiative in 2017, the ICI has enabled us to recognize trends in demand and energy consumption better and identify opportunities for energy efficiency given our 24/7 operations. The CEMa Program is an innovative solution to energy storage, without an impact on patient care delivery,” said Wendy Hansson, President and CEO of Sault Area Hospital.
“As well, this program adds another level of electrical redundancy to the hospital by providing an uninterruptible power source to the entire building in the event of a power outage. We wish to thank PUC for their leadership and partnership on this initiative and the positive benefits that will support health care delivery in our community.”
PUC has partnered with Demand Power Group Inc. to deliver the CEMa solutions. The Toronto- based energy company is known of helping commercial and industrial clients lower their energy bills.
Demand Power Group Inc. CEO, Raj Chudgar said: “As a leading provider of intelligent power solutions and behind-the-meter tactics, we are pleased to be supporting PUC Services Inc. We look forward to providing Sault Area Hospital (SAH) with substantial energy savings so they can fund what’s truly important – providing the essential care their patients deserve.”
“This initiative is a testament to the PUC’s value as a community partner and the benefits of a municipally owned utility,” said Christian Provenzano, Mayor of Sault Ste. Marie.
“We can continue to drive innovation and deliver projects that create value in and for our community. While we don’t set electricity prices, we can develop and implement projects that reduce energy usage and save money.”
Construction is expected to start within the next month and the plan is to be operational by the end of July.
