Mar 28 - McClatchy-Tribune Regional News - Lynne P. Shackleford Spartanburg Herald-Journal, S.C.



Frances Sanders has only $2 left after she pays her bills most months, so making her home more energy-efficient wasn't much of a priority.

Sanders frequently called her utility provider, Broad River Electric Cooperative, to inquire about her monthly electric bills when they reached $200 to $250 for her small two-bedroom, one-bathroom home in rural Cherokee County.

Sanders, a 64-year-old grandmother who lives on a widow's pension, was chosen for the electric cooperative Residential Energy Efficiency Pilot Program for weatherization upgrades, and her story -- told in her own words -- is featured in a video promoting another initiative, the rural energy savings program, to state and federal lawmakers.

Her story isn't unique. In fact, it's shared by thousands statewide who can't afford to properly insulate their homes against leaks.

 Sanders receives an $810 Social Security check monthly, and after paying her bills -- including buying multiple prescriptions for such ailments as high blood pressure, lupus and diabetes -- there's little room for luxuries.

Mike Davis, president of Davis Services, is one of the contractors for the energy efficiency pilot program for which Sanders' home was chosen. Davis was shown the video promoting a low-interest loan program for weatherization upgrades and wanted to do more to help Sanders.

"Ms. Sanders' story just stuck with me because she's a great example of people we have living right here who are paying way too much for electricity because of inefficiencies," Davis said.

Jay Meadows of Davis Services performed an extensive energy audit and found Sanders needed attic and floor insulation, the duct work needed tightening and her heating and cooling unit was obsolete. Sanders' home was insulated, caulked and sealed -- work valued at about $12,000.

Davis was able to obtain a new Lennox heating/air conditioning unit -- valued at about $7,000 -- for $1,000. The East Gaffney Baptist Church Girl Ambassadors raised money for the unit, so all the work -- and the unit -- were free to Sanders.

The improvements will likely cut Sanders' utility bill in half.

"I can't thank them enough for what they've done," Sanders said. "When you have medical problems and are on a fixed income, it's hard to come up with the money to make it day to day. If I can save $100 or $150 every month, that'll make all the difference."

Mike Couick, president and chief executive officer of the state electric cooperative, said Sanders' story -- and stories of other families in the video whose finances are devastated by high energy costs -- is resonating with state and national politicians.

"I wanted to find real people -- the grandmothers, the Frances Sanderses of the world -- to show how they're affected by high bills because they don't have insulation, their windows and doors leak and have inefficient duct work or heating and cooling systems," Couick said.

The program would allow members of South Carolina's 20 electric cooperatives to weatherize and tighten their homes -- dramatically reducing utility costs -- through low-interest loans tied to their electric bills. The proposal would use two-thirds of the homeowner's savings to pay the loans. For instance, if a power bill decreased by $90 monthly, the amount due would actually drop $30 and the remaining $60 would pay the loan. The state Legislature approved the program last week, and it heads to the governor this week.

South Carolina electric cooperatives have about 700,000 members -- and of those, 225,000 homes need some type of weatherization upgrade. That would cost about $750 million, Couick said.

When the state program is complete in 10 years, Couick said cooperatives would reduce residential energy consumption by 20 percent when coupled with other initiatives, such as changing to energy-efficient light bulbs.

A similar bill -- modeled after the South Carolina cooperative program -- has been introduced by a bipartisan coalition of Senate and House members in Washington. If successful, the program could extend to other utility providers.

The federal legislation provides $4.9 billion in loan authority through the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Utilities Service to electric cooperatives.

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