BATH — The Bath Area Family YMCA received a $ 34,162 grant from the Maine Public Utilities Commission through its Energy Programs Division known as “Efficiency Maine.”

The grant financed a plan to reduce electrical lighting consumption throughout the building on Centre Street and upgrade control capabilities.

“We were proud of the scoring we received compared to other applicants for this grant statewide,” Sabrina Murphy, executive director of the YMCA, said in a release. “Of the 69 applicants in Maine, our application had the top score primarily due to the fact we could prove the highest return on investment for our proposed changes.”

“The Y’s primary goal is in the focus areas of youth development, healthy living and social responsibility in our community,” Murphy continued. “ This project exemplifies the balance of running a nonprofit with our volunteers working hard behind the scenes on projects like this to ensure staff can continue with the amazing daily work on these focus areas with the community at large. The payback on these projects coupled with the available grants barely offset the rising cost of energy that we continue face.”

Because funding for the upgrades originated with the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, representatives of the U.S. Department of Energy conducted a site visit at the Y on Feb. 1.

“The continuing challenge is to find ways to operate in a cost effective, affordable manner without curtailing programs or opportunities for members which have made our Y so successful,” the release states. “ In that respect, reducing the consumption and the cost of energy ranks among the Y’s highest priorities.”

To that end, the organization’s board established a “Sustainability Initiative” to achieve “ energy efficient, environmentally sound, meaningful and long- term savings through climate controls to decrease electric power usage and water requirements,” the release states.

“The Bath Area Family YMCA received the highest score from a pool of 69 applicants for the grant,” the release states. “The Efficiency Maine experts agreed with our assessment that changes defined in our proposal would generate annual savings of $14,800 for lighting with a payback of threeplus years and $ 15,000 for system controls with a oneyear payback.”

Two years ago the addition of pool covers improved heating efficiency and reduced water evaporation. The data shows, for the year 2010, the Y had its lowest annual consumption ( 42,500 gallons) since the buildings opening.

With this grant and matching funds, the Y expects to increase energy savings by approximately $ 30,000 per year.

The YMCA continues to seek donors for the matching component of the grant.

Vendors from Maine that helped complete the work included Thayer Corp. for control systems and B.H. Milliken Electrical Contractors Inc. for lighting changes.

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