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Energy conservation saves PSS $90K
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Posted on Sep 22 2008
The Public School System saved more than $90,000 in utility fees for the month of July by following conservation efforts.
PSS Commissioner Rita Sablan said school administrators have been making an effort to conserve energy not only to save money but also to help the island’s environment.
“It’s not just high bills; it’s important we all practice energy conservation,” Sablan said.
Schools are conserving energy by turning off air conditioners during certain times of the day, turning off lights, and making sure everything is turned off when teachers leave at the end of the day.
The practices saved the school 220,000-kilowatt hours, Sablan said. But that number was for the month of July when school was not in session, she added. The numbers will probably not be the same starting September.
Last week, Antonio Muña, Commonwealth Utilities Corp. executive director, said PSS owed $1.8 million in past debt. PSS in July paid CUC $1.6 million after Finance Secretary Eloy Inos became involved in the situation. The money came from the personnel budget and the “all others” budget category.
Sablan said there are some discrepancies between CUC”s meter reading and the readings done by PSS administrators. Sablan began talking to school principals in August about conducting their own site meter readings.
“We are concerned about the bills we get,” she said. “We want to be able to pay what’s due. We’re hopeful something can come out it.”
When asked if PSS would be able to pay the $1.8 million, Sablan last week said it is not realistic for the school system to pay that amount with their current budget constraints.
“It’s just like any other family or business,” she said. “The payment of CUC bills is a challenge.”
The PSS operating cost for fiscal year 2008, from which the CUC money would come out of, is $2 million, she added.
