This contract will also help the facility, which is part of the nation’s nuclear weapons complex, meet a 2 percent reduction in overall energy usage each year as required by the energy legislation signed by President George W. Bush in August 2005.
“The Pantex Plant plays an important role in America’s national security, but by further improving energy efficiency, we will also increase our energy security,” says Linton Brooks, administrator of DOE’s National Nuclear Security Administration. “The energy improvements at Pantex will serve as a model for using less energy and significantly reducing energy costs.”
Under the contract, NORESCO, an energy services company headquartered in Westborough, Mass., will oversee the improvements through an energy savings performance contract (ESPC). These energy conservation measures will cost approximately $19.5 million over 19 years, saving the Pantex Plant approximately $38 million in that same time frame — over $2 million per year.
Energy-saving measures will include: installing new energy-efficient lighting systems and control systems to reduce waste in heating and air-conditioning systems, repairing leaks in steam systems, installing energy-efficient cooling systems and renovating dehumidifiers needed for industrial operations.
