Schneider Electric presents district energy audit; estimates $400,000 annual savings potential and phased bond planning

EAGLE PASS ISD trustees received an energy and deferred-maintenance audit and planning proposal from Schneider Electric at the Feb. 11 board meeting.

Aaron Garcia, Schneider Electric account manager for South Texas, and Paige Bleakley, project development manager, reviewed findings from a district-authorized audit aimed at informing short-term repairs and a potential future bond. "One of the main focuses was modernizing the buildings for the district and also help maximize the utility savings throughout the district," Garcia said.

Bleakley summarized what the firm identified as highest-priority needs at Eagle Pass High School, C. C. Wynne High School and Eagle Pass Junior High, noting multiple campuses have mechanical and electrical equipment beyond useful life. Schneider's materials estimate large districtwide deferred-maintenance exposure and suggested the work be phased: an initial set of critical mechanical, electrical and automation upgrades followed by larger bond-funded work. Bleakley said preliminary modeling showed potential utility-cost reductions of more than $400,000 annually and lifecycle savings Schneider estimated at roughly $13 million "maybe more," depending on scope.

Schneider also proposed measures beyond HVAC: building-envelope upgrades (windows, doors, insulation), electrical panel upgrades, expanded LED lighting for fields and facilities, and a capital-asset planning web tool to inventory assets and schedule multi-year budgeting.

The firm discussed renewable options, saying current federal incentives can make solar more attractive. Garcia told trustees that solar projects in this region could qualify for approximately 40–50% reimbursement under current federal investment tax-credit provisions and noted battery storage or microgrids are possible but costly: "With a large enough battery storage microgrid system…you could have short-term and long-term backup power solutions," he said, adding that generators are commonly included for critical facilities.

Trustees asked whether solar systems alone could take buildings off the grid; Schneider representatives said solar by itself does not provide full grid independence without battery storage or generators. Board members also raised the possibility of adding LED field lighting to the track project and asked about examples of districts using battery-storage systems; Schneider said such deployments are more common in other states (for example California) and typically target critical loads such as data centers or central kitchens rather than full building-off-grid solutions.

Garcia closed by describing next steps if the district elects to move forward: Schneider would negotiate a fee-based planning and design agreement, help phase work to align with any bond, pursue grant opportunities and develop a long-range schedule for design and construction.