Clarendon County school districts have received over $185,000 in federal stimulus funds from the South Carolina Budget and Control Board’s State Energy Office to make energy efficiency improvements throughout the county.

Clarendon County School District 1 received $68,109 to install energy efficient lighting fixtures district-wide, replace older heating and air conditioning units at Scotts Branch High School. The district will also implement an energy management system in the administrative offices and at the Summerton Early Childhood Center and Scotts Branch High School. These improvements will help the district save more than $38,000 annually in utility costs.

Clarendon County School District 2 received $107,124 to install new energy efficient heating and air conditioning equipment at Manning Elementary School and motion sensors at Manning High School to turn off lights when rooms are unoccupied. These two measures will help the district save more than $15,000 annually in energy costs.

Clarendon County School District 3 received $65,575 to install a heating and air conditioning control program in both East Clarendon Middle and High Schools. This measure will help save the district over $9,000 annually in energy costs.

“As a result of these energy efficiency improvements, Clarendon County taxpayers should see a total savings of more than $60,000 in energy savings annually,” said John Clark, director of the South Carolina Energy Office.

The state’s 85 school districts are sharing $20.3 million in grants and loans for energy efficiency.  The state’s two- and four-year colleges are receiving a total of $12.2 million, and state agencies are getting $7.4 million for energy efficiency improvements.  Each entity’s allocation is based on the size of the organization’s energy bill.