Weis DC Cuts Energy Usage 30%

SN STAFF

SUNBURY, Pa. — As part of its chain-wide program to reduce energy usage and conserve resources, Weis Markets' Distribution Center, located in Milton, Pa., recently upgraded its lighting system with low watt fluorescent and LED lighting, which lowers the 1.1 million square foot facility's energy usage and costs by 30%.

This new lighting system replaces metal halide and high pressure sodium lighting systems, which annually used 6.4 million kilowatt hours. The new lighting system will use 1.3 million kilowatt hours a year.

The total cost of the program is $870,000. The project is also expected to benefit from PPL Electric Utilities' E-Power rebate program, which helps companies become more energy efficient.

"Our sustainability and conservation initiative is based on practical programs and systems that are good for the environment and helpful to our business," said R. Kevin Small, vice president, construction and development, in a statement. "With the help of PPL, we're able to reduce our distribution center's carbon footprint and lower our lighting system's annual kilowatt hours usage by 80%. This lowers our center's overall energy usage and costs by 30%, which translates into nearly half a million dollars in annual savings. The energy we save could power three of our supermarkets for an entire year and is also the equivalent of three months energy usage for our distribution center."