CALIFORNIA ENERGY COMMISSION
                      NEWS RELEASE


For Immediate Release: December 16, 1994
More Information Contact: Rob Schlichting - (916) 654-5159



         STATE LOAN PROVIDES CITY OF WHEATLAND 
          WITH ENERGY EFFICIENCY IMPROVEMENTS



The California Energy Commission today approved a $4,424 
low-interest loan that will allow the city of Wheatland to 
install energy-efficient lighting and other energy-saving 
improvements in city buildings.

The loan, made through the Commission's Energy Conservation 
Assistance Act, will enable Wheatland to replace outdated 
lighting fixtures and improve lighting controls in City Hall, the 
police department, the fire department, and the corporation yard. 
In some locations, motion detectors will be installed to turn off
 lights when rooms are not occupied.  

All told, the improvements should cut the city's utility bill by 
over $1,600 a year.  

"The projects were identified last year as part of the Energy 
Partnership Program, through which the state Energy Commission 
provides local governments with technical assistance in ways to 
cut energy waste," said Gene Albaugh, Wheatland's City 
Administrator.

Charles Imbrecht, Chairman of the California Energy Commission, 
noted that outside consultants are usually hired to do such energy
audits.  "In this case, however, we realized that the savings 
potential was low because of Wheatland's small size.  To help 
realize the energy savings as inexpensively as possible, the 
Energy Commission staff did the audit themselves.  To further 
reduce the cost of the projects, the city plans to use volunteer 
or in-house labor to install the new equipment," he said.

The state's Energy Conservation Assistance Act funds low-interest 
loans to local governments, public and private non-profit schools 
and hospitals, public care institutions and other agencies willing
to invest in energy efficiency.  From the savings on its utility 
bills alone, Wheatland should be able to repay the loan in under 
three years.  


#####


Gene Albaugh, 
City Administrator, Wheatland, CA, (916) 633-2761

Energy Commission Contact: 
Claudia Chandler, Assistant Executive Director, (916) 654-4989




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File name: 94-12-16_City_of_Wheatlan