Merriam residents saving energy

 Halfway through a yearlong energy efficiency contest, Merriam is in the top spot over five other Kansas cities.

Since April, six cities have worked to encourage residents and businesses to help in winning the Take Charge Challenge.

Merriam residents have switched more than 10,000 bulbs to compact fluorescent bulbs and have worked with KCP&L to get programmable thermostats and new air conditioners in hundreds of homes.

“Merriam’s community spirit has been the key ingredient to our success in the Take Charge Challenge,” Mayor Ken Sissom said.

Merriam is competing against Kinsley, Quinter, Mount Hope/Haven, Wellington and Salina. The town that most aggressively reduces energy use will get to choose an energy-saving prize: a solar panel for a city building, a wind turbine for a school or $10,000 to use toward an energy-efficient project for the city.

Partner utilities track each community’s electricity use compared to last year and to a selected control area this year. Towns are ranked by the largest percentage drop in use.

Together the towns will save more than 1 million kilowatt hours of electricity, enough to power 1,100 homes for a month and avoid pollution equivalent to taking 140 cars off the road.

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