South Carolina State University and Orangeburg County School District Three have been awarded federal economic stimulus funds by the South Carolina Budget and Control Board’s State Energy Office to make energy efficiency improvements.

South Carolina State University received $498,297 to begin phase one of a campus-wide lighting retrofit project. These upgrades will help the university save more than $96,000 annually in energy costs.

Orangeburg County School District Three received $53,859 to modernize lighting fixtures at Holly Hill Middle School, saving the school district more than $12,500 annually.

“Both of these educational institutions will benefit from installing modern, efficient lighting fixtures that will reduce their energy cost burden over the lifetime of the equipment while using less energy,” said Ashlie Lancaster of the Energy Office.

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