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Area Development - Site Selection, Facility Planning and Workforce Development

GE Aviation Showcases Lighting Upgrade in Madisonville, Kentucky

09/28/2010
Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear, Energy and Environment Cabinet Secretary Len Peters, and Economic Development Cabinet Secretary Larry Hayes toured a General Electric Aviation plant in Madisonville, Kentucky, that recently retrofitted its lighting system with help from a $200,000 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) award.

"Projects like the one we celebrate today at GE Aviation are proof that these stimulus dollars are truly well spent, showing that when government works hand in hand with the private sector, big things can happen," Beshear said.

GE used the funds to replace old, inefficient lighting with an advanced, energy efficient system. The company was one of seven chosen by the Cabinet for Economic Development in partnership with the Department for Energy Development and Independence. The cabinet provides half of the funds required for lighting upgrades. The funded companies provide the balance of the costs.

"GE has a strong commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve the energy efficiencies of our operations," said David Groth, plant leader at the Madisonville facility. "At the same time, our facility needs to ensure our investment decisions make economic sense. The ARRA funding made available through the state enabled our site to put this lighting retrofit project on the fast track and begin reducing our energy usage. The payback for both GE and the state is well worth the investment."

The company expects to save $200,000 annually as a result of the upgrade.

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