Energy audits under way for Ak-Chin Indian Community
In Western's continuing effort to promote energy conservation awareness among its customers, DSW Energy Services Manager Steve Szarka is coordinating energy audits of the Ak-Chin Electric Utility Authority facilities.
The Ak-Chin Indian Community is located about 25 miles southwest of Phoenix and 90 miles northeast of Tucson near the town of Maricopa, Ariz. Its population of about 650 is made up of Tohono O'odham, or Papago, and Pima Indians. The community is a 22,000-acre reservation in the Sonoran Desert. Western provides electrical power to the community.
The utility has been preparing its community for energy conservation awareness, energy efficiency, and energy management programs. Leonard Gold, utility consultant for AKEUA and its board members, recently met with the Arizona Department of Commerce's Energy Office and Szarka to help the community find ways to conserve energy.
Szarka helped the board create a community awareness program earlier this year. He then got assistance from the ADOC Energy Office staff to help develop a community energy plan.
Szarka said, "By working together, we are helping the Ak-Chin Community develop a comprehensive plan that will provide them with sound guidance for future energy issues."
ADOC Energy Conservation Manager Charlie Gohman, and ADOC Energy Conservation Program Administrator Jim Westberg presented tribal council members, Ak-Chin housing and maintenance directors and members of the Environmental office a range of options on what the ADOC Energy Office could offer the community. Ak-Chin officials decided to begin with energy audits.
The ADOC Energy Office will conduct energy audits in various homes and buildings in the community. These energy audits commence in early July 2002. Residential energy audits will be conducted on selected homes, and will include a one- to two-hour overall visual inspection and performance test. A Memorandum of Understanding between Western's Energy Services program and the Arizona State Department of Commerce provided seed funding for the community's request for assistance.
Szarka said, "The Memorandum of Understanding calls for audits of homes and commercial activities and helps provide retrofitting specifications and new construction specifications in the community. The Arizona Energy Office is seeking grants through the Department of Energy to perform more audits. The Energy Office will also provide training so the community can conduct its own energy audits."
"The Ak-Chin received a $25,000 grant from DOE for weatherizing projects within the community," he added.
Western is also evaluating electrical services to the community's wastewater treatment plant and recommending corrections for electrical issues. These services are being provided in collaboration with Western's Equipment Loan Program.
"With more and more Native American communities joining the ranks of Western customers, our work with the Ak-Chin community is an important example of ways Western's Energy Services folks can help new customers and our existing customers realize the maximum return on their investment," Szarka said.