College district gets loan for more-efficient lighting

The Yuba Community College District will receive a $900,000 lighting makeover, following an announcement by the California Energy Commission to give the district a loan for more efficiency improvements.

Under the project, new lights for pathways and parking lots are expected to be installed at the Yuba, Woodland and Clearlake campuses.

The lighting upgrades will not only have an immediate impact on energy savings, but will help make the campuses a more efficient learning environment, said Energy Commission Chairman Robert B. Weisenmiller in a statement. Faculty, students and visitors will also be safer as a benefit of increased illumination.

About 2,500 interior fluorescent lamps will be replaced with lower wattage lamps at Woodland Community College alone.

The loan will be paid back in 121⁄2 years, according to the energy commission statement.

Energy-efficient lights will save the district $72,043 in energy costs each year. However, paying off $900,000 in 121⁄2 years comes out to about $72,000 per year, without adding the 1 percent interest the loan requires.

The district will also have to pay an extra $32,000 that's not included in the loan.