Market Near South Gate Benefits from Free Energy Program

This report was compiled by City News Service and posted by Patch Local Editor Guy McCarthy.

A South Los Angeles market near South Gate could see its electricity bills cut almost in half, thanks to a free energy efficiency program launched Wednesday May 15 for small businesses throughout the city.

The Supermercado Latino neighborhood market is the first store to take advantage of free retrofits offered by the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power under the Small Business Direct Install program.

"The cleanest, cheapest energy is the energy you don't use," Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said as he marked the program's launch at the store, where nearly 70 percent of its 139 light fixtures were replaced with energy-efficiency lights.

City officials said the program could help around 40,000 small businesses with limited resources improve energy efficiency and cut down their carbon footprint.

David Jacot, director of energy efficiency at the LADWP, said Supermercado Latino is an example of "hard-to-reach" customers that the utility hopes will take advantage of efficiency programs.

"LADWP is aggressively expanding energy efficiency programs to reach all of our customers as part of our efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and transition out of coal power," he said.

Supermercado Latino also takes part in a Los Angeles Food Policy Council program aimed at converting convenience stores located in "food deserts" into grocery stores with more fresh produce.

Brad Min, manager of Supermercado Latino, said the money saved could go toward expanding the store and offering "healthy food to our neighborhood."

Supermercado Latino Market is at 1049 W. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., about seven miles northwest of South Gate. For more info on the business click here.