Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology in Okmulgee has received an incentive check for $7,321.17 from Public Service Company of Oklahoma (PSO) for participation in PSO’s Business Solutions program.

Business Solutions is offered by PSO to help schools and businesses reduce operating costs by identifying and implementing energy efficiency improvement projects. The amount of the incentive is determined by the total amount of energy that will be saved through those improvements.

OSUIT earned its incentive for completing an energy efficient lighting retrofit at the school’s automotive teaching center. The new lighting will conserve an estimated 71,408 kilowatt-hours of electricity per year and is expected to reduce OSUIT’s annual electric bill by approximately $5,000.

"Over the last five years, OSU has saved more than $20 million through energy conservation efforts at its five campuses, and efficiency improvement projects and conservation at OSUIT have contributed nearly three-quarters of a million dollars toward those savings," said Stan Teague, OSUIT energy conservation manager. "A program like PSO’s Business Solutions, and the incentives it offers, goes a long way toward validating our investment in energy efficiency."

"We identified a real need for an energy efficiency program that addresses the specific needs of our larger customers, especially as budgets are spread thin," said Michael Gordon, a consumer programs coordinator for PSO. "By partnering with OSUIT to reduce energy costs, their valuable resources can be used for other needed projects."

PSO, a unit of American Electric Power (NYSE: AEP), is an electric utility company serving more than 530,000 customers in eastern and southwestern Oklahoma. With headquarters in Tulsa, PSO has 4,321 megawatts of generating capacity and provides electricity to 230 cities and towns across a service area encompassing 30,000 square miles. News releases and other information about PSO can be found on the World Wide Web at PSOklahoma.com.