Oak Ridge Electric Department worker on a utility pole. (Photo courtesy City of Oak Ridge)
The Oak Ridge Electric Department has ranked number four in the nation on a list of Top 10 utility “green power” programs, officials said.
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, Colorado, granted the award to the Oak Ridge Electric Department in recognition of its leadership in voluntary renewable energy programs, a press release said.
The Oak Ridge Electric Department was ranked number four on the NREL list for Top Green Power Sales Rate in 2017, achieving a sales rate of 7.09 percent.
“The City of Oak Ridge Electric Department has made great strides in promoting renewable energy solutions, and CORED customers are active participants in the Tennessee Valley Authority’s Green Power Switch (GPS) and Green Power Switch Southeastern RECs (Renewable Energy Certificates) programs,” the press release said. “These programs allow residential and commercial customers to support the environment through the purchase renewable energy. Both programs are Green-e Energy certified.”
“We’ve been working toward the goal of being in the top 10 in green power generation for years,” said Jack Suggs, Oak Ridge Electric Department Director. “This recognition aligns with the CORED values we defined for our organization in 1998.”
“We are excited about the NREL award. It is a great achievement for CORED and its customers,” said Marlene Bannon, the Oak Ridge Utility Billing Office manager. “We hope this recognition will encourage others to explore options that will improve the environmental footprint in our community.”
Since 2000, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory has compiled data on utility green pricing programs, according to the press release. Every year, their annual Top 10 Green Power lists recognize outstanding programs across the U.S., in both sales and participation. More information about NREL’s green power market research is available online at http://www.nrel.gov/analysis/green-power.html.
Annually since 2013, TVA, a public utility, has earned a top 10 ranking for Green Power Sales on these NREL lists. For more information on the City of Oak Ridge Electric Department, visit http://ored.oakridgetn.gov/ or call (865) 425-1803.
More information will be added as it becomes available.
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