BIG Y CUTS ENERGY COSTS BY $500,000

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. -- Big Y Foods here has reaped annual energy savings of $500,000 across six stores through more efficient refrigeration and lighting systems.

ion kilowatt hours annually, Big Y officials said.

The new systems were installed in Big Y stores in Springfield and West Springfield, Mass., as well as four stores in Connecticut.

Officials from the Western Massachusetts Electric Co., a subsidiary of Northeast Utilities, Hartford, Conn., worked with Big Y design, engineering and maintenance staffs to design new systems for lighting, refrigeration and air conditioning.

In addition, Big Y received incentives from the utility to defray some of the additional costs of installing the new systems, store officials said.