NEWS RELEASE

Contact: Jill E. McCormick, Director, Marketing & Planning
St. Edward Mercy Health System
Phone: 479-314-6037
Email: jill.mccormick@mercy.net

St. Edward Mercy Partners with OG&E to “Go Green”

Fort Smith, Ark. – March 11, 2009 - St. Edward Mercy Medical Center in conjunction with OG&E is working to make the Medical Center more energy efficient by replacing light fixtures and lamps with more energy efficient fixtures. OG&E will present St. Edward with a check in the amount of $8,724 as part of OG&E’s Quick Start Program to reduce energy usage.

St. Edward Mercy will host this “Go Green” event at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, March 17. Attendees should meet at the information desk at the Centers of Excellence entrance at St. Edward Mercy. Representatives from St. Edward and OG&E will be present for interviews after the event.

By switching from T-12 fixtures to T-8 fixtures, the Medical Center reduced wattage by an estimated 1,525,232 kilowatt hours. The T-8 fixture is an electronic ballast which pulls less amperes than the standard T-12, which in turns causes lamps to pull less wattage. Lighting is in constant operation in the hospital setting and reducing demand saves both money and energy.

St. Edward Mercy began replacing fixtures in June 2002 and has replaced over 4,300 light fixtures during that time. St. Edward has replaced approximately 65% of light fixtures at the Medical Center. OG&E pays St. Edward Mercy $2 per lamp replaced.

In September 2007, the Arkansas Public Service Commission (APSC) ordered all investor-owned regulated utilities within Arkansas to offer energy-saving programs to their customers.

Another green initiative by St. Edward Mercy includes the introduction of electric cars in November 2008 for the purpose of helping patients and visitors to St. Edward Mercy get to and from the Medical Center parking lots.

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