By Joyce Kryszak
Buffalo, NY – As the summer months set in, energy conservation becomes a hot topic. Many states, like New York, are taking proactive steps to prevent California style brownouts. Tops Friendly Markets, one of the area's biggest electricity consumers, has received $1.8 million dollar in state energy incentives to upgrade its store lighting.
If you've ever yelled at a youngster to turn off a light, you might wonder how a supermarket, with row after row of lights left on round the clock, manages its electric bill. For Tops Friendly Markets, with 44 stores locally, that bill runs in the millions each year.
Tops Spokeswoman Stefanie Zakowicz says the chain welcomed the state's help with a $4.2 million dollar energy efficient lighting upgrade. Zakowicz says Tops will pay the bulk of the costs to retrofit all its stores. But with energy savings estimated at over a million each year, she says its a wise buy.
"That's exactly why we have made that committment, because we will get that back ten fold over the years in savings on energy," said Zakowicz.
The upgrades will decrease environmental pollutants, cut the state's summer peak energy demand by 2.3 megawatts and save enough to power nearly 3,000 homes a year. And Zakowicz says there's another bonus.
"It actually creates a much better shopping environment," said Zakowicz. "In terms of the lighting is not as glarey, yet it's very clean and very bright. And, at the same time, it does save energy, which in essence, is better for everybody."
Lighting upgrades have already been completed in 15 local Tops stores, with work progressing as others are remodeled. Energy efficient lighting will also be installed in any new stores.