$110K Donation from Reliant Supports Solar Installation for No-Kill Animal Shelter in Houston

Reliant powers, protects and simplifies life, now for both people and animals alike. Today the company announced the donation of $110,000 to Houston’s Friends For Life, the only no-kill, LEED-certified animal rescue shelter and adoption organization in Houston. The donation supports the installation of rooftop solar and solar on the nonprofit’s Mobile Adoption Vehicle. To celebrate, Reliant teamed up with the shelter to host an adoption event on March 25 at Friends For Life headquarters.

“Supporting local organizations that are important to our community is a big part of who we are as a company, and supporting the solar installation at Friends For Life is just one way we work to make a difference by doing what we do best – powering Texans with innovative energy,” said Elizabeth Killinger, president, Reliant and NRG Retail. “As the fastest-growing shelter in Houston, we’re pleased to help Friends For Life achieve their mission to save animals’ lives while also saving on their electricity usage.”

The new solar installation includes 96 panels on the nonprofit’s Don Sanders Adoption Center and will offset the shelter’s electricity use by roughly 13 percent per year, which will allow the shelter to instead devote those resources to providing all food, supplies and medicine for four animals for an entire year. The system also includes a monitoring device that shows actual electricity production and consumption, offering insight into the shelter’s energy usage and helping them manage operations more efficiently.

As part of the $110,000 donation, Reliant also provided the funds for solar panels to outfit the nonprofit’s Mobile Adoption Vehicle (MAV), a state-of-the-art, 26-foot vehicle that brings dogs and cats to community events and high-traffic locations throughout the Houston area to encourage adoption and raise awareness. The technology will help the MAV’s battery stay charged, reduce use of diesel generators and power the vehicle’s lights, refrigerator, water pump and other equipment to help the animals stay comfortable and healthy.

New and existing electricity customers can support Friends For Life too when they sign up for a new Reliant plan that includes a $100 donation to the adoption and rescue center. For more information, visit www.reliant.com/friendsforlife. 

“We are grateful for Reliant’s partnership and excited to implement this new sustainable energy solution at our facility. Every dollar we save on overhead costs like electricity can help save another animal and find their forever home,” said Salise Shuttlesworth, executive director and founder, Friends For Life. “Thanks to Reliant’s support, we can continue operating as Houston’s only no-kill, LEED-certified animal shelter while further reducing our carbon footprint and becoming more resource-efficient.”

In 2016, Friends For Life was chosen by the public to receive the top donation of $100,000 in Reliant’s crowd-sourced charitable giving program – Reliant Gives. The program puts the power of nonprofit advocacy in the hands of the public, letting people vote from among three Texas charities nominated and selected by the company’s employees.

About Reliant, an NRG company
Reliant brings electricity, smart energy solutions and home services to business and residential customers across Texas. Reliant is part of NRG Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NRG), a Fortune 200 company that is at the forefront of changing how people think about, buy and use energy. Backed by a diverse portfolio of nearly 140 power generating facilities that can support millions of homes and businesses nationwide, NRG’s retail companies, including Reliant, deliver electricity and home security services and serve almost 3 million customers in 10 states and the District of Columbia. NRG retail brands collectively are the largest providers of electricity in Texas. For more information about Reliant products and services, please visit reliant.com and connect with Reliant on Facebook at facebook.com/reliantenergy and Twitter @reliantenergy. PUCT Certificate #10007

Media Contact: 
Megan Talley
713-537-2160
Megan.Talley@nrg.com 
Twitter: @reliantenergy