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PSNH cuts check to Bedford TV station for energy-efficient lighting

On Aug. 6, Bedford Community Television received a rebate check for energy efficiency from Public Service of New Hampshire at the BCTV studios. Representatives from the Bedford Town Council, the lighting company, PSNH and BCTV were on hand for the presentation. With the support of Barbizon Lighting and PSNH, BCTV was able to install fluorescent studio lighting, which will improve the lighting quality for taped and live broadcasts and reduce the heat in the studio given off by older traditional studio lighting. PSNH helped pay for part of the lighting and construction.

“We teamed up with Barbizon Lighting and PSNH back in 2010, when we invested in new energy-efficient lighting for the BCTV Town Meeting Room,” said Bill Jennings, BCTV station manager. Jennings said he became aware of PSNH’s new equipment and construction program through Barbizon Lighting consultant Jonathan Lipsy, who designed the lighting for the town meeting room and the station’s studio.

Chris Bandazian, town councilor and chairman of the town’s energy commission, said the town has been an active participant in the PSNH energy saving programs since the commission’s inception in September 2009. The energy commission is made up of residents in the community, many of whom own businesses and know the importance of energy savings.

Bandazian noted that the town looked at all the municipal buildings to determine how to make them more energy-efficient. Using the various PSNH programs, such as the New Equipment and Construction Program as well as another offering, the Municipal Smart Start Program, the town was able to upgrade many of its building facilities and reduce energy building costs. “It’s still a work in progress, but it is a worthwhile investment that makes the buildings more livable for the town’s employees as well as residents using the facilities – plus, the town is saving money,” Bandazian said.

“If you were to look at the two BCTV lighting projects, you’ll see that not only did BCTV receive over $35,000 in rebates, but the additional savings in kilowatt-hours is significant and translates into real money,” Jennings said. “The town meeting room annual savings is $7,000, and the studio annual savings is $4,500. That’s a total of $11,500 in annual energy savings per year. Over time, that is going to add up to a huge savings. It definitely was a worthwhile investment for us.”

Jennings said the lighting projects were paid for using the station’s cable access fees. No tax dollars were used to fund either project.

For more information, contact BCTV station manager Bill Jennings at bjennings@bedfordtv.com or PSNH energy efficiency service representative Mark Toussaint at toussmd@nu.com.