Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Kansas Gov. Mark Parkinson is launching a $34 million loan program that encourages Kansans to make their homes more energy efficient.

Parkinson planned to participate in a Tuesday news conference for the Efficiency Kansas program. The event will be at the Topeka offices of the Kansas Corporation Commission, which regulates utilities.

The loan program is financed with federal stimulus dollars.

The program will allow Kansans to borrow money from either a bank or utility to make home improvements.

Participants will be required to have an energy audit performed on their homes and to make what the audit finds are the most cost-effective improvements.

KCC spokeswoman Abbie Hodgson said Kansans would repay the loans with the savings on their monthly utility bills.