The McCormick County School District has been awarded $24,721 in federal economic stimulus funds by the South Carolina Budget and Control Board’s State Energy Office to make energy efficiency improvements.

The district will upgrade lighting fixtures, install programmable thermostats and replace window heating and air conditioning units with more efficient models in the Adult Education Buildings.

“McCormick County School District will benefit from this grant as the district makes upgrades throughout the county,” said John Clark, director of the South Carolina Energy Office. “The district will save more than $5,000 annually in utility costs.”

The state’s 85 school districts are sharing $20.3 million in grants and loans for energy efficiency.  The state’s public colleges and universities 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.