MONTGOMERY— The Russell County Board of Education is taking steps to save energy and cut utility costs with the help of a $163,072 economic stimulus grant awarded by Gov. Bob Riley.

The grant will fund energy upgrades at Dixie, Mt. Olive and Oliver elementary schools and Russell County High School.

“These improvements are a wise economic and environmental investment,” Riley said. “By taking these energy-saving steps today, the school board will save taxpayers thousands of dollars in the future.”

The school system will replace 53 old, inefficient heating and cooling units with energy-efficient models and install 88 programmable thermostats to reduce heating and cooling during times the schools are not occupied.

The project also includes installing 99 occupancy sensors that automatically turn lights off when classrooms and other areas are unoccupied. Lighting at Dixie Elementary and Russell County High schools will be upgraded to fixtures that produce an equivalent amount of light using lower wattage bulbs.

The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs is administering the grant from funds made available by the U.S. Department of Energy as part of the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act.

Riley notified William Green, interim superintendent of Russell County schools, that the grant had been approved.

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Contact: Mike Presley, Larry Childers