Fairchild Air Force Base

The first energy efficiency project at Fairchild Air Force Base was formally accepted by the Air Force in a ceremony at the base on Thursday, Oct 23. Representatives from Fairchild, the private sector and BPA attended the ceremony which marked the completion of the first project under a Memorandum of Agreement between the two Federal agencies.

The exterior lighting project called for a retrofit of the 97th Air Refueling Squadron aircraft apron (formerly called the BAA Pad or Bomber Alert Area). Fairchild's principle mission is as an Air Refueling Wing. The BAA Pad is where the refueling tankers are staged for operations or maintenance. Although the project was relatively small in terms of costs and technical complexity, it demonstrated how the Federal government working with private sector companies can reduce operating costs and improve overall efficiency in the Federal sector.

Fairchild, a direct service customer of BPA, will reap significant energy and maintenance cost benefits. Final calculations reveal annual energy savings of nearly180,000 kWh. Combined energy and maintenance savings will exceed $10,000 per year. The life-cycle project savings are expected to be near $160,000. BPA's investment in the project will be recovered, on BPA's wholesale power bill, through the savings realized as a result of the project. Fairchild will retain the remainder of the savings value.

This project represents the first of several that will uniquely combine resources in a partnership between the Air Force, the private sector and BPA. Several private sector companies participated either directly or indirectly in this project. The principle company was Rod's Electric who did the complete installation. Other companies like Blankenship & Associates, a local firm, provided engineering & design services. Additionally, lighting manufacturers, crane operator companies and materials companies contributed to the project.

The next project is already in progress and is considered to be very ambitious in terms of size and scope. A 465,000 square foot aircraft maintenance facility is slated for a complete retrofit of all major energy systems. The audit, which is being prepared by Thomas J. Gerard & Associates (and their alliance companies), is nearly complete. The engineering and design phase will be started immediately. Preliminary data reveals that this project will cost nearly $1 million. Gross energy savings is expected to be around $2.6 million, not including operations & maintenance savings.