National Grid Helps Reenergize Ford Stamping Plant

BUFFALO, NY (02/27/2012)(readMedia)-- National Grid and Ford Motor Company today unveiled a $2.7 million energy efficiency project at Ford's Buffalo Stamping Plant in Woodlawn, NY that will transform the plant's lighting system and significantly reduce its energy use and costs. National Grid awarded Ford a $1.35 million grant for the project, the largest energy efficiency grant the company has ever awarded in Upstate New York since the program was introduced in 2009.

Over the past five months, Ford removed 1,740 tandem high-bay metal halide fixtures inside the sprawling complex just outside Buffalo, and replaced them with more efficient tandem LED fixtures. S3J Electronics of Lancaster, NY, an LED light manufacturing specialty-company, was selected by Ford to manufacture all of the new state-of-the-art LED fixtures.

"One of the best ways to help the communities we serve is to help the companies that do business here and employ our friends and neighbors," said Kenneth Daly, National Grid president for New York. "National Grid and Ford share a commitment and passion for energy efficiency, and we're hoping to use this project as a model of cost effectiveness and environmental stewardship."

The grant from National Grid is part of the company's large and expanding portfolio of programs designed to help businesses manage their energy costs and take advantage of new technologies in energy efficiency. Since its inception in 2009, the current slate of programs has helped more than 15,000 business customers in upstate New York save more than 373 million kilowatt hours of electricity which is equivalent to the amount of energy used by 50,000 homes in one year.

"Ford continues to look at ways to expand the company's energy saving operations in our plants and factories around the world," said George Andraos, Ford's Director, Energy Efficiency and Supply. "Through partnership opportunities with organizations like National Grid, we are able to accelerate energy saving initiatives, and together make a significant positive environmental impact in the process."

The energy efficiency project was first explored by the Ford Buffalo Stamping Plant, National Grid and S3J Electronics in February 2010 to review and discuss possible lighting solutions to reduce energy usage and costs. In July 2011 National Grid notified the two companies that it would award the energy efficiency project a $1.35 million grant to cover 50 percent of the total investment. Installation of the new LED fixtures by Ford personnel began in late October 2011 and the project was completed in February 2012.

The energy efficiency project is expected to provide the Ford Stamping Plant an annual energy reduction of approximately 10.7 million kilowatt hours, which is roughly equivalent to the amount of electricity used by 1,400 homes in Western New York for an entire year.

In addition, the new LED fixtures will provide lighting that delivers a higher efficacy, a richer color rendering and a superior quality of light for the plant's workforce.

"The LED lighting project at the Buffalo Stamping Plant was a great project in which local businesses worked together in an effort to save energy and money through the use of S3J's high quality, energy efficient LED light fixtures which are locally manufactured," said Adam J. Metz, President, S3J Electronics, LLC. "This project demonstrates National Grid's and Ford's commitment to reduce energy consumption, to invest in the Western New York region, and to use local manufacturers such as S3J Electronics when possible."

Information about National Grid's energy efficiency programs for homes and businesses is available on the company's newly enhanced website – www.powerofaction.com

ABOUT NATIONAL GRID

National Grid (LSE: NG; NYSE:NGG) is an electricity and gas company that connects consumers to energy sources through its networks. The company is at the heart of one of the greatest challenges facing our society - to create new, sustainable energy solutions for the future and developing an energy system that underpins economic prosperity in the 21st century. National Grid holds a vital position at the center of the energy system and it 'joins everything up'.

In the northeast US, we connect more than seven million gas and electric customers to vital energy sources, essential for our modern lifestyles. In Great Britain, we run the gas and electricity systems that our society is built on, delivering gas and electricity across the country.

National Grid delivers electricity to approximately 3.3 million customers in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York and Rhode Island. It manages the electricity network on Long Island under an agreement with the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA), and owns over 4,000 megawatts of contracted electricity generation, providing power to over one million LIPA customers. It is the largest distributor of natural gas in northeastern U.S., serving approximately 3.4 million customers in New York, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island.

For more information please visit our website: www.nationalgridus.com

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ABOUT FORD MOTOR COMPANY

Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 164,000 employees and about 70 plants worldwide, the company's automotive brands include Ford and Lincoln. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford and its products worldwide, please visit http://corporate.ford.com.

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ABOUT S3J ELECTRONICS

S3J Electronics, located in Lancaster, NY, was founded on a mission to accelerate the adoption and evolution of LEDs into the general lighting market. LED technology combats two of today's growing problems: rising energy costs and environmental neglect. S3J Electronics began creating highly efficient, long-lasting, LED lighting products that surpassed traditional lighting in almost every measurable aspect. Today the company produces lighting that delivers a higher efficacy, a richer color rendering and a superior quality of light than any traditional lighting product on the market. The company's LED technology provides solutions for commercial, industrial, institutional and residential applications.