Siemens Opens Office in New Bedford

The company that installed new LED streetlights in New Bedford now has a base of operations in the city. Siemens opened it's new office in the Bank of America building on Pleasant Street Thursday afternoon.

Mayor Jon Mitchell says the City has entered into a 20-year energy management contract with the company which will reduce the city's consumption of electricity and save millions of dollars.

Mitchell tells WBSM News another incentive for Siemens to locate to New Bedford is the opportunity for offshore wind development in the near future. "Siemens is a huge leader of offshore wind. They have about 705 of the market in Europe and they've come here for a reason. This is the place where the industry's going to take off in the United States," said Mitchell.

Siemens Energy Zone Manager Dana Rasmussen says the company would also like to become involved in the City's education system through STEM programs. "So really kind of taking it from the middle school, through to the high school, tech-vocational and frankly, into further education or possibly internships and other type of activity," said Rasmussen.

Mitchell says Siemens will soon begin retrofitting 19 municipal facilities, including nine schools, with energy efficient lighting, heating, and cooling technology.

Systems in over 100 city-owned buildings will be upgraded over the next five years as part of the contract, with $40 million worth of improvements being installed.