SANDY — Rocky Mountain Power honored the LDS Church Monday as the wattsmart Business Partner of the Year in the Wasatch Front for leading energy conservation in the state.
Since the start of its partnership with Rocky Mountain Power in 2007, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has saved more than 16 million kilowatt-hours — enough energy to power 1,777 average Utah homes for a year. The church saved 2.6 million kilowatt-hours in 2014 and nearly 1.3 million kilowatt-hours so far in 2015, said Cindy Crane, president of Rocky Mountain Power.
The LDS Church achieved this energy efficiency through more than 600 projects. These projects include changing incandescent lights to LED and fluorescent lights, adding motion sensors that turn off lights when buildings aren't in use and furnishing one of its facilities with solar power, said Terry Cano, director of Architecture, Engineering and Construction for the church.
Cano accepted the award on behalf of the church at the Rocky Mountain Power regional meeting Monday at Rio Tinto Stadium. He said representatives from the utility company and the church will continue to meet monthly to discuss more energy adjustments.
"We have other facilities that have not been touched yet that we need to take care of," Cano said. "We have our large headquarter facilities in Salt Lake that need to undergo those types of retrofits."
Crane said she believes the LDS Church's focus on energy efficiency is a good example for not only those in the state but also for those around the country and world.
Rocky Mountain Power spokesman Paul Murphy said the company gives awards for energy conservation because if people conserve energy, Rocky Mountain won't have to build new power plants.
"(Energy conservation) actually saves us money, it saves our customers money and it saves the environment," Murphy said. "The LDS Church has done a significant job, enough to be honored for that today, but everyone can be a hero and see how they can save energy in their own homes and businesses as well."
According to Murphy, 2015 was a huge year for energy conservation. Usually only one Utah organization receives an award from Rocky Mountain, but this year the Iron County School District and Hill Air Force Base also received wattsmart awards.
Murphy said Rocky Mountain predicts that within the next 10 years, 80 percent of additional energy in Utah will come through energy-efficient resources, reducing power plant construction.
Murphy encourages Utah residents to visit wattsmart.com for ideas about how to get involved in the energy conservation movement.
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