Mohave Electric Cooperative (MEC) presented a ceremonial check for $50,000 to the Bullhead City Fire Department on 8/3/2022 to represent the completion of the MEC Solar Initiative for the Community project at Bullhead City Fire Station 5.
The money comes from the Arizona Corporation Commission mandated Renewable Energy Standard Tariff (REST) that is a part of every member’s monthly bill and is part of an ongoing effort by MEC to aid public entities who directly impact MEC members.
“The Bullhead City Fire District (BCFD) would like to thank MEC for their tremendous donation,” said BCFD Chief Patrick Moore. “The grant enabled the BCFD to install solar panels that will reduce our operating costs and allow the BCFD to divert those funds to the overall mission of fire and EMS services. The continued partnership between BCFD and MEC is beneficial to our citizens and community.”
“We’re always excited to complete a solar initiative for the community project that can positively impact our members,” said MEC Energy Management Specialist Julia Garringer. “We look forward to working with fire departments within our service territory on future projects.”
By adding solar to publicly funded buildings, MEC is helping our members indirectly by saving them tax dollars which would have been spent on energy costs.
“The Bullhead City Fire Department is grateful and appreciative of the monetary support from MEC for station 5,” said BCFD Assistant Chief of Logistics Scott Neal. “With increasingly tight budgets, especially in the area of energy consumption, the $50,000 solar grant comes at a perfect time for our organization.”
Neal said that the BCFD expects to save between $400 to $450 monthly in electricity costs. The next REST project will be a $50,000 grant for the Boys and Girls Club to install solar on their new building in Fort Mohave that is expected to open in 2023.
MEC has provided $1.5 million in solar to more than 35 community-based projects across our service territory