Energy efficiency and demand-side management are integral parts of Tri-State's balanced approach to resource planning. With its member cooperatives, Tri-State aggressively pursues these management programs in an effort to lower generation costs and help consumers manage energy use.

In addition to its existing energy efficiency and demand-side management programs, Tri-State is working to:

• expand its Energy Efficiency Credits program,
• develop regional specific load-control programs,
• develop energy efficiency and demand-reduction programs targeting specific customer segments and different regions, and
• expand training and educational programs for members and customers.

Collectively, these new programs could more than double energy savings from Tri-State's current energy efficiency and demand-side management programs.

Tri-State's Energy Efficiency Credits Program has been in place since 1985 as a means to encourage and reward energy-efficient purchases and practices. The program provides consumers cash rebates when installing more efficient heating and cooling systems - such as heat pumps, electric water heaters and electric thermal storage heating systems. Additionally, irrigation, commercial and industrial consumers benefit by adding or making a switch to high-efficiency electric motors. Tri-State has reduced approximately 30 megawatts in demand and saved 35,000 megawatts-hours in energy through its EEC program.

Recently, Tri-State added to the fleet of eligible products certain ENERGY STAR heat pumps and air-conditioners, refrigerators and freezers, equipment for certain member load control programs, light emitting diode (LED) lighting strips and CFL bulbs.