Leadership
The State of Mississippi has one statue that covers Guaranteed Energy Savings Performance Contracting (GESPC) in all four public market sectors: state agencies, local units of government, universities, and K-12 school districts. The length of contracts are limited to 20 years. The legislation allows for a scope of work that includes all measures that pay for themselves in energy savings, operational savings, use of water savings, and renewable technologies.
In the past there have been examples where the verified savings have exceeded the guarantee. Success stories include:
- The city of Tupelo expects to reduce its utility budget by 18 percent as part of a GESPC with energy efficiency measures at 23 buildings and 27 sports fields — the largest energy efficiency endeavor ever undertaken for the state’s parks and recreation areas. In all, the effort should cut annual energy costs by $140,000 or $2.8 million over the life of the installations. The upgrades are also expected to spur economic growth and sports tourism revenue, once they are completed in November 2016.
- Yazoo County School District Superintendent Becky Fischer said the lights in the high school in her district were so old, they could not even find bulbs for them when they went out. Electric equipment, decades old, failed repeatedly, meaning constant maintenance and repair for the district's schools in a county where 36.2 percent of citizens live in poverty. So, Yazoo County School District made a deal to make its schools "greener" -- saving energy consumption with a Guaranteed Energy Savings Performance Contract. With a projected 26-percent reduction in the district's utility budget, the school will realize $2.5 million in savings in energy expenses over the 20-year course of the project, or $92,000 a year.
- In late summer 2016, Hattiesburg agreed to a $7.2 million energy-savings performance contract. Hattiesburg Mayor Johnny DuPree announced the project will update city facilities and equipment. The project is expected to earn the city $562,641 in savings within the first year and more than $10.5 million over the duration of the 15-year contract.
Program
The state's GESPC Program Administrator also supports other energy programs within the Mississippi Development Authority Energy Division, and the state employees a 3rd party owner agent to assist public sector entities negotiate and implement GESPC projects.
The state program uses a set of standardized instruments for use with GESPC that cover RFQs and employees a list of pre-qualified vendors.
The state program tracks projects and requires an annual M&V report.
ESC Chapter
The state's public sector program manager participates serves as the public sector in the Mississippi ESC Chapter, but in 2016 the Chapter is largely inactive.