EVERETT — Energy-saving light bulbs, power strips and thermostats may be coming free to your apartment building or small business soon.

The Snohomish PUD is about to spend $5 million to hire contractors to install energy-efficient upgrades to an Everett neighborhood and to another one somewhere in Snohomish County. That location hasn’t been decided.

The pilot project also includes a second program that invites urban communities to apply for support to run their own neighborhood energy-saving projects.

The federal government just chipped in $2.17 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to help pay.

The project focuses on low-cost measures that provide the most bang for the buck.

Apartment buildings, for instance, could get new lighting for common areas, attic insulation or windows. The PUD might offer rebates for more efficient washing machines.

Small businesses might get upgraded commercial kitchen equipment or water-saving devices.

Just which neighborhoods will get the energy-saving goodies isn’t clear, although a south Everett neighborhood is being considered now. The PUD and its partners — the city of Everett and the county — plan to select areas they want to target in 2010.

Those measures are expected to save 10 million kilowatts of electricity and create or retain 50 jobs.

All the light bulbs and shower heads should be sucking less energy by 2012.

Debra Smith: 425-339-3197, dsmith@heraldnet.com.