Carson City, NV -
January 17, 2014More residents of rural Nevada are saying good-bye to costly propane tanks and hello to more efficient solar water heaters thanks to a $5,000 grant the Governor's Office of Energy (GOE) awarded to Valley Electric Association, Inc. (VEA).
The grant allows VEA, a member-owned electric cooperative based in Pahrump, to fund propane-to-solar conversions for 10 to 12 homes in the cooperative's service territory in southwestern Nevada.
"This grant fits in perfectly with GOE's mission to collaborate with local partners and ensure a reliable and sustainable clean energy system," said Paul Thomsen, GOE Director. "Taking households off propane and moving them onto solar water will conserve or reduce the demand for energy resulting in energy efficiencies which are required by NRS 701.180."
The cooperative has installed more than 800 solar water heating systems since 2009, when it launched its domestic solar water heating program. GOE recognized the merits of the program by awarding VEA a $5,000 grant in the fall of 2012, and then again last year.
We would like to thank the Nevada Governor’s Office of Energy for its continued support of our domestic solar water heating program,” said Tom Husted, CEO of Valley Electric Association, Inc. “This valuable grant will provide a number of local families with opportunities to reduce their power bills by switching to high-quality solar water heating systems.”
The decision to award consecutive grants to VEA highlights GOE’s ability to facilitate cooperation among stakeholders, lead initiatives to stimulate economic development, and attract energy related business ventures that include site development, generation and production, and the transmission and transportation of energy.
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About the Governor's Office of Energy
The Governor’s Office of Energy oversees energy programs required through statute and those that help to meet the mission of the office, which is to ensure the wise development of Nevada’s energy resources in harmony with local community economic needs and Nevada natural resources. For more information about GOE, please visit energy.nv.gov.
About Valley Electric Association Valley Electric Association Inc.
(VEA) is a member-owned nonprofit electric utility headquartered in Pahrump, Nev. While VEA started as a small rural electric utility in 1965, the company now provides service to more than 45,000 people within a vast 6,800-square-mile service area located primarily along the California-Nevada border, with the majority in Nevada. VEA’s service area starts in Sandy Valley, southwest of Las Vegas, and extends north for more than 250 miles to Fish Lake Valley. For more information about VEA, please visit www.vea.coop.