Silicon Valley Power Celebrates Earth Day with Santa Clara Green Power

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Silicon Valley Power Celebrates Earth Day with Santa Clara Green Power

Santa Clara, Calif. – April 15, 2005– Silicon Valley Power (SVP), the City of Santa Clara’s municipal electric utility, celebrates Earth Day today with the Santa Clara community at the City's official Arbor Day/Earth Day Celebration. In the spirit of protecting the earth, SVP is excited to offer its residential and business customers an option to support renewable power, Santa Clara Green Power. The Santa Clara Green Power program, along with SVP’s other environmental efficiency programs, was highlighted at today’s event for city council members, citizens and school children.

Santa Clara Green Power offers all Santa Clara residential and business electricity customers an easy way to reduce their impact on the earth while paying their utility bill. To date, over 750 residential customers and 22 businesses in the City of Santa Clara have chosen to join the Santa Clara Green Power program, showing their commitment to a clean and healthy future, support for their community, and a dedication to sustainable business practices.

“Earth Day is a good time to remind oneself how our actions throughout the year can benefit people, our community, and the planet,” says Joyce Kinnear, Public Benefit Program manager for Silicon Valley Power. “Santa Clara Green Power is an easy and affordable step toward a healthy earth. We encourage all of our Santa Clara residents and businesses to consider joining their neighbors in enrolling in Santa Clara Green Power and protecting their air for Earth Day and every day.”

Each participant’s choice to pay a small additional cost of only a penny and a half per kilowatt-hour (1.5 cents/KWh) above the standard electricity rate supports 100% clean wind and solar energy within California and their own community. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the environmental benefit created from those already enrolled is equivalent to planting 540 acres of forest, enough to cover over 7% of the City of Santa Clara, or removing 560 cars from the road each year.

SVP is also proud to highlight the community leadership of two of its business customers, Agilent Technologies’ Santa Clara site and Santa Clara University, for their large-scale renewable energy commitments. Both organizations have committed to supporting the generation of one-half the output of one wind turbine annually, the equivalent energy needed to power 149 average homes each year.

On behalf of Santa Clara Green Power program participants, SVP will purchase renewable energy credits from newly constructed wind farms and solar photovoltaic projects located within California. Additionally, a portion of the Santa Clara Green Power rate will support new solar facilities in the City of Santa Clara, such as the recently completed Haman Elementary School project, helping to bring new installations into the community. The average Santa Clara household using 470-kilowatt hours per month will pay an additional cost of only $7 per month to participate in the program. The actual cost will vary depending on monthly usage.

Santa Clara utility customers can enroll in Santa Clara Green Power by signing up through their April municipal utility bill insert, the secure website at www.siliconvalleypower.com, sending an email that includes customer name, address, account and phone number to green@siliconvalleypower.com or by calling (408) 244-SAVE (7283).

3 Phases Energy Services, a California-based renewable energy company, supports SVP as its partner in developing the offering and in managing renewable energy purchases and marketing on behalf of the City.

Silicon Valley Power
Silicon Valley Power is the trademark adopted for use by the century-old Electric Department of the City of Santa Clara, California. Silicon Valley Power provides power for more than 50,000 customers, including Intel, Applied Materials and National Semiconductor. It also is an active participant in the wholesale energy markets in the Western U.S. Visit www.siliconvalleypower.com for more information.

3 Phases Energy Services
In operation in the State of California since 1994, 3 Phases Energy is committed to promoting and implementing renewable energy options for businesses, utilities, governments, and institutions through green pricing support services for utilities, direct access, retail and wholesale sales of Green Certificates, and onsite efficiency and solar photovoltaic installation. For more information, visit www.3phases.com.

Contact: Joyce Kinnear, Silicon Valley Power Tel: (408) 615-5686 Larry Owens, Silicon Valley Power Tel: (408) 615-5690; Cell: (408) 621-5873 Carol McCarthy, City of Santa Clara Tel: (408) 615-2213