Allen Public Schools has received an incentive check for $5,047.75 from Public Service Company of Oklahoma (PSO) for participation in PSO’s Smart Schools Program.

Smart Schools is offered by PSO to help school districts reduce operating costs by identifying and implementing energy efficiency improvement projects. The amount of the incentive is determined by the total amount of energy that will be saved through those improvements.

Allen Public Schools earned its incentive for the installation of energy efficient HVAC and lighting at the old armory building, HVAC retrofits at the elementary and high schools, and a retrofit of the cafeteria lighting. The new energy efficient equipment will conserve an estimated 22,362 kilowatt-hours of electricity per year and is expected to reduce Allen School’s annual electric bill by approximately $1,500.

"The Smart Schools program helped us identify ways we can conserve energy and save money," said Allen Public Schools Superintendent David Lassiter. "We now have HVAC systems and lighting equipment that are better quality and more efficient, and the money we save can be reinvested directly back into our schools."

"We identified a real need for an energy efficiency program that specifically targets schools, especially as budgets are spread thin," said Pam Sanders, Customer Services representative for PSO. "By partnering with Allen Public Schools to reduce energy costs, their valuable resources can be used for other needed projects."

PSO, a unit of American Electric Power (NYSE: AEP), is an electric utility company serving more than 530,000 customers in eastern and southwestern Oklahoma. With headquarters in Tulsa, PSO has 4,321 megawatts of generating capacity and provides electricity to 230 cities and towns across a service area encompassing 30,000 square miles. News releases and other information about PSO can be found on the World Wide Web at PSOklahoma.com.