Beat the summer heat and save money!

Hot summer days are here!  But while the temperatures outside are rising, your energy costs don’t have to.  Improve your comfort and save money this summer by maintaining your cooling system or installing new high-efficiency air conditioning equipment and a smart thermostat.

SMMPA member utilities provide rebates to their customers who have their cooling equipment tuned-up, or who invest in new qualifying air conditioners, heat pumps, smart thermostats, dehumidifiers, and ceiling fans.  Rebate forms are available by clicking here and selecting your utility.

Cooling Tune-Up Rebates up to $60

High-Efficiency Cooling Equipment Rebates

ENERGY STAR® Smart Thermostat Rebates up to $100

ENERGY STAR Dehumidifier Rebates up to $40

ENERGY STAR Ceiling Fans with LED Lighting Rebates up to $30

SMMPA Receives American Public Power Association’s 2022 Safety Awards of Excellence

The Southern Minnesota Municipal Power Agency (SMMPA) was recently awarded a Safety Award of Excellence by its national trade association, the America Public Power Association.  SMMPA was one of 135 public power utilities across the country to be recognized for their dedication to safety.

“Ensuring the safety of the SMMPA team members is a core tenant of how we operate our Agency,” said SMMPA Chief Executive Officer Dave Geschwind.  “Our team takes pride in maintaining a safe work environment, and we are pleased to be recognized for our dedication to safety.”

Entrants were placed in categories according to their number of worker-hours and ranked based on the most incident-free records during 2022. A utility’s incidence rate, used to judge entries, is based on its number of work-related reportable injuries or illnesses and the number of worker-hours during 2022, as defined by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

SMMPA Earns 5th Consecutive Minnesota Safety Council Governor’s Safety Award

The Southern Minnesota Municipal Power Agency (SMMPA) was recently recognized for excellence in workplace safety and health during the 2023 Minnesota Safety and Health Conference. SMMPA is one of 80 employers to be honored by the awards program as having Outstanding Achievement in Occupational Safety. This is the fifth consecutive year that SMMPA has received the Governor’s Safety Award.

“Developing a safety-first culture in the workplace is not just about policies and procedures. It requires a mindset where safety is valued at all levels of the organization.” said SMMPA Chief Executive Officer Dave Geschwind.  “It’s an honor for the team to be recognized for our efforts to foster a safety-oriented work culture here at SMMPA.”

Since 1934, the annual Governor’s Safety Awards program has honored Minnesota employers with exceptional safety performance. Applicants are judged on several years of injury data as it compares with their industry’s national statistics, and on their progress in implementing a comprehensive safety program.

Make Laundry Better With ENERGY STAR®

Clothes washers and heat pump dryers that have earned the ENERGY STAR® deliver superior efficiency and performance by incorporating advanced features that make cleaning and drying easier and more effective while saving money on your energy bills.

You can save even more with a utility rebate!

SMMPA member utilities offer rebates of up to $40 on the purchase of new ENERGY STAR clothes washers.  ENERGY STAR-qualified heat pump clothes dryers are eligible for a $25 rebate.  Rebate forms are available by clicking here and selecting your utility.

Clothes washers that have earned the ENERGY STAR use about 20% less energy and 30% less water than standard models and use a variety of sophisticated cleaning methods that deliver on performance while being gentler on your clothes.  Certified heat pump dryers use advanced technology that requires about half the energy of a standard electric dryer, and the ventless models can be installed almost anywhere. 

Learn more and get guidance choosing the right clothes washer for your home here, and dryers here.

Celebrate Earth Day Every Day!

Protecting the climate starts with all of us. This Earth Day, join SMMPA, our member utilities, and ENERGY STAR® in making energy choices that help support a more efficient, healthier, and more comfortable home for you, and a clean energy future for everyone.

Choosing products that have been independently certified to earn the ENERGY STAR label can help save energy, save money, and protect the planet.

SMMPA member utilities offer rebates on the purchase of new ENERGY STAR products. Rebate forms are available by clicking here and selecting your utility.

Together, we can all do our part to support a clean energy future!

Now’s the Time to Flip Your Fridge and Save!

Recycle that old energy-wasting refrigerator and replace it with a new ENERGY STAR® certified model.  You’ll save energy and you can save even more with a utility rebate!

SMMPA member utilities offer rebates of $25 on the purchase of new ENERGY STAR Refrigerators, plus an additional rebate to pay for recycling your old working refrigerator.

Rebate forms are available by clicking here and selecting your utility.

Refrigerators that are 15 years or older use twice as much energy as a new ENERGY STAR certified refrigerator.  Replacing that old energy-wasting refrigerator with a new ENERGY STAR certified refrigerator could save you more than $300 in energy costs over the next five years.  Get guidance choosing the right refrigerator for your home here: www.energystar.gov/flipyourfridge.

Flip Your Fridge to ENERGY STAR, the simple choice for energy efficiency!