Two summers ago, State College Area School District staff members unplugged microwave ovens, computer monitors and other electrical appliances that weren’t being used.

They saved about $30,000 that year — enough to pay about half the salaries and benefits of a first-year teacher. The next year, the district saved $40,000.

“Please work with the Physical Plant staff, Computer Services staff and Food Service staff in your building to help find items that can be unplugged,” physical plant director Ed Poprik wrote in a memo to employees this spring. “The classic example of summer waste would be a refrigerator that runs all summer to keep a few condiments fresh. A list of other possible items is below. Every building is different and in order to be effective, this type of program requires close coordination.”

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If you’ve ever replaced a major appliance like a refrigerator or freezer, then you know getting rid of the old one can sometimes be harder than buying the new one, especially because of environmental concerns.

“These old refrigerators have freon in them. They have toxic materials in the foaming around the insulation,” Joseph Vallarian, of Duquesne Light, said.

Duquesne Light, First Energy and Allegheny Power say their refrigerator program will make it a lot easier.

Find out more about this program.

U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown was optimistic Tuesday after he attended a bipartisan meeting led by President Barack Obama that focused on efforts to pass clean energy legislation and to outline priorities for energy independence and clean energy manufacturing jobs.

About two dozen people, including key U.S. Senate leaders from both parties, were in attendance at the White House meeting, said Brown, who discussed the meeting during a conference call with statewide and national media.

“There was broad agreement that the U.S. must transform our energy system,” Brown said. “The stakes couldn’t be higher — done right, a clean energy bill will be a jobs bill. It will prevent us from replacing our dependence on foreign oil with a dependence on Chinese-made clean energy components.”

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But with all eight already promised the grants the DOE announced Monday, it’s not clear what light the news sheds on how the department will pick and choose technologies when it comes to spending the rest of that money.

Still, they’re interesting projects covering a broad range of technologies, from superconducting transmission lines and integrating renewable energy into the grid to new forms of demand response and so-called “microgrid” systems.

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Check out what other improvements and updates are being made to the the electric grid and related infrastructure across Pennsylvania.

The company says the projects will help meet growing demand for electricity and improve electric service reliability for thousands of customers in two areas of the county – in the Effort, Jonas and Sun Valley area and in and around Appenzell.

“A new substation and power line are needed in the Effort, Jonas and Sun Valley area to keep up with increased customer demand and to protect existing local power lines from overloading,” said David E. Schleicher, vice president of Transmission for PPL Electric Utilities.

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Public open houses will be:

The Effort, Jonas and Sun Valley open house from 5 to 8 p.m. Monday, April 13, at the West End Fire Company (Main Station), Route 715, Brodheadsville.

The Appenzell open house will be held April 20 from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Reeders United Methodist Church, Church Road and Route 715, Reeders.

The company will file plans for each new line with the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission for approval. PPL Electric Utilities hopes to have the substations and power lines in place by the fall of 2011.

For more information, call PPL Electric Utilities toll-free at (800) 293-8995 or visit www.monroepowerproject.com.

The 6.7-mile transmission line runs through Hanover, Lower Nazareth, Allen, East Allen and Bethlehem townships to deliver electricity to 7,600 PPL customers, according to the company.

PPL expects to begin construction in April 2010 and begin operation of the new line in May 2011. The project entails removing a series of 80- to 85-foot tall towers that shoulder the transmission line, replacing those towers with poles of similar height and installing a new transmission line.

”Our primary goal is to keep our electric system reliable for our customers, and this project is part of ongoing work to upgrade our power delivery system,” said David Schleicher, the company’s vice president of transmission. ”Rebuilding this line will improve reliability for customers in the area and help us meet the growing demand for electricity today and in the years to come.”

 The line was built so long ago that the easement in some spots is too narrow, company spokeswoman Lissette Santana said. So the company will offer money to some property owners along the line in order to widen the easement, she said.

The new line does not require approval from the state Public Utility Commission because it is replacing an old line, Santana said.