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WAYLAND, Iowa (AP) — A southeast Iowa school district is nearing completion of an $800,000 solar power system that will drastically reduce its energy costs.

The system could save the Waco School District $100,000 each year in energy costs, the Hawk Eye reported.

Superintendent Darrell Smith estimates Norman Atwood of Sigourney-based Atwood Electric will finish installing the system by late December or early January. Atwood started earlier this year setting up the system and just finished at the elementary school in Wayland.

Smith said the project could save the district about 80 percent on its energy bill. The idea of the solar power system being used at the district started with local farmers.

"In our district, we have a lot of turkey and hog farmers going to solar energy to provide energy for their facilities," he said. "And they were seeing some savings."

Tim Graber, who raises turkeys, brought the idea to the school board about a year ago. He said Thursday that school officials were just "trying to think outside the box" in how they could save money.