Duquesne Light And UPMC Team Up To Power Down Energy Usage

UPMC will soon see reduced energy consumption and lower energy bills, thanks to a partnership with Duquesne Light Company, as part of the new energy efficiency and demand response initiatives under Act 129 that DLC is implementing throughout Allegheny and Beaver counties.

A grant from Duquesne Light is covering part of the cost of installing a new computer program – Verdiem’s Surveyor – which will help UPMC’s information technology staff centrally administer power settings for 30,000 PCs across the health system’s network.

The software places PCs in lower power states or “sleep mode” without interfering with end-user productivity, desktop maintenance or upgrades.

When this project is completed in six months, UPMC expects to cut 50 percent of the power used by its PCs, for a $1 million annual savings. This translates to a savings of 10,464,000 kWh yearly.

“The partnership with UPMC is an excellent example of the types of energy conservation programs Duquesne Light can provide to our customers,” said Maureen Hogel, Duquesne Light’s Chief Operating Officer. “From the smallest townhouse, to the largest manufacturer or health care provider in the region, we will be implementing new and innovative initiatives that will save our customers money while also conserving energy.”

“We are pleased to have Duquesne Light’s support for our efforts to promote environmental stewardship across all aspects of our operations,” said John Krolicki, vice president of facilities and support services at UPMC. “This energy conservation project, which covers about two-thirds of our PCs systemwide, is just one more example of our wide-ranging commitment to protecting the environment for the benefit of our patients, staff and communities.”

For more information, please visit the Act 129 webpage on Duquesne Light’s website.