Founded in 1902, the Cache Public School District encompasses more than 250 square miles in southwestern Oklahoma. With five school buildings housing nearly 1,500 students, load shedding is a newfound priority for district administrators
To reduce energy costs and invest more of its budget in the classroom, the district partnered with PSO to become a Peak Performer.
Cache employs a five-pronged strategy to reduce electrical demand during peak events:
- Adjusting settings on large HVAC units in all district buildings.
- Turning off HVAC units in vacant auditoriums and gymnasiums.
- Utilizing programmable thermostats to adjust air temperatures.
- Turning off all lights that are not in use.
- Reducing hallway lighting to 50%.
With smart planning and a little help from PSO, Cache Public Schools reallocated thousands of dollars to support classroom supplies and activities. The district reduced demand by 394.81 kilowatts and received $13,195 in Peak Performer incentives.
The cumulative payout made a believer out of District Superintendent Randy Batt.