SALT LAKE CITY — The Greater Salt Lake Area Chapter of the American Red Cross received a donation of nearly $74,000 for the Red Cross’ International Relief Fund to aid in the agency’s tsunami relief efforts. The donation came from employees of Utah Power and sister companies Pacific Power and PPM Energy, along with matching funds from the company’s charitable arm, the PacifiCorp Foundation for Learning.

“Utah Power has partnered with the American Red Cross many times before, to help families with needed energy assistance through the Lend-a-Hand program and to assist residents in preparing for winter storms,” said Rich Walje, Utah Power executive vice president. “Our employees know their donations to the American Red Cross will be used to help tsunami victims with their most critical needs.”

Contributions from Utah Power, Pacific Power and PPM Energy employees were matched by the PacifiCorp Foundation for a total of $212,000 donated to five selected relief agencies that responded to the tsunami disaster. Together with ScottishPower Group, of which Utah Power is part, the companies have raised $465,000 in response to the disaster in southeast Asia.

Employees chose which agencies would receive their donations and the corresponding match. Agencies receiving those donations were: American Red Cross, LDS Humanitarian Aid, CARE, Northwest Medical Teams and Mercy Corp.

“This is one of the largest donations our office has received to help aid victims of the devastating southeast Asian tsunami, and we are so grateful to Utah Power for stepping forward with this level of support,” said Mariann Geyer, CEO of the Greater Salt Lake Area Chapter American Red Cross. “Financial contributions such as this will enable us to purchase the supplies needed to help rebuild these communities, throughout the coming months and even years that effort will take.”