Ameresco Inc. (NYSE: AMRC) announced Sept. 20 that the U.S. Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) has entered into an Energy Savings Performance Contract (ESPC) with Ameresco to implement energy and water conservation measures at the Federal Correctional Complex (FCC) Butner in North Carolina.
The contract, valued at $53.1 million, is designed to reduce energy intensity throughout the 776-acre prison complex, which includes a large federal medical center and multiple correctional facilities.
“Ameresco is proud to partner with the Federal Bureau of Prisons on implementing this budget-neutral energy project at FCC Butner,” said Nicole A. Bulgarino, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Federal Solutions, Ameresco. “Under the ESPC, the complex will receive cost-effective facility energy improvements which will contribute to recurring reductions in utility costs and overall facility renewal.”
The ESPC project will upgrade FCC Butner’s infrastructure and will reduce energy and water costs, while increasing the operating efficiencies of its utility-systems Overall, the measures are designed to reduce total energy usage of the complex by 30%. Ameresco will also construct a 3.1-MW solar photovoltaic system to provide more than 15,300 MBtu of on-site renewable energy annually, approximately 8.4% of FCC Butner’s current electricity demand.
Construction on the project is expected to begin this fall and is scheduled to be completed in 2019.
An ESPC is an alternative contracting mechanism that utilizes private-sector financing to implement comprehensive energy savings projects without relying on federal appropriations. The ESPC at FCC Butner is the single-largest ESPC task order awarded by the BOP to date.
Founded in 2000, Ameresco is a leading independent provider of comprehensive services, energy efficiency, infrastructure upgrades, asset sustainability and renewable energy solutions for businesses and organizations throughout North America and Europe. With its corporate headquarters in Framingham, MA, Ameresco has more than 1,000 employees providing local expertise in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.
