MIFFLIN COUNTY, Pa. (WHTM) — A new state grant program is helping school districts in Pennsylvania cut down on energy expenses.

Energy is one of the biggest expenses for school districts in Pennsylvania. Solar For Schools, a new state grant program, aims to reduce school districts' energy expenses by installing solar panels on school grounds.

Representative Elizabeth Fieldler said this grant will not only save schools hundreds of thousands of dollars a year and taxpayers' money but also allow schools to reinvest in their communities.

"Both my parents are public school teachers. I'm the proud mom of two little kids who are in elementary school. I know how tight money is for schools," Fieldler said. "I know energy costs are rising, even at my own home. We see how much money we have to pay just for energy."

Fieldler added that the Mifflin County School District currently houses the largest solar array in Pennsylvania, which produces enough solar energy to power 671 schools in their community.

Clean energy production and cost reduction aren't the only benefits of these projects, as construction will also create family-sustaining jobs in local communities.

"A lot of the workers who do this work, they want to make sure it's done well," Fieldler said. "These are schools, right? Their kids and grandkids go to these schools. So they want to make sure the work is done well, it's done safely, and schools save as much money as possible."

Through this grant program, $25 million will be given to schools across the Commonwealth. Applications open Nov. 1 and close Jan. 31.