Connecticut must Support Prioritization of Equal Access to Energy Efficiency Services in Connecticut we demand that the Ratepayer C&LM and RGGI funds be returned to equally serve ALL Connecticut Electric (Ratepayers) and meet our states energy (CES) plan and economic goals.
Dear Honorable Leaders of Connecticut,
We demand the state of Connecticut’s leaders keep their promise to ALL Connecticut electric ratepayers by taking the following two actions this legislative session.
1. Implement state policy to ensure EQUAL ACCESS to all Cost Effective Energy Efficiency (EE) services and upgrades for ALL ELECTRIC RATEPAYERS regardless of heating fuel source type (FUEL BLIND DIRECT EE SERVICES). We must NOT excluded the Oil and Propane households from accessing proven energy saving services and efficiency incentives.
2. Support “A Repeal of the diversions of the electric ratepayer funds”. The C&LM ratepayer funds must be returned this session to support cost effective direct energy efficiency services in Connecticut or we can not meet our state’s Clean Energy Strategy (CES) or Our Climate Goals. Efficiency is our states DEMAND reduction plan. It keeps “carbon heavy fuels” from being wasted. These programs are award winning highly effective DEMAND REDUCTION programs that directly serve the ratepayers.
Summary:
*Last October the electric ratepayer Energy Efficiency funds (C&LM and RGGI) were unlawfully diverted by our state leaders as part of the bipartisan state budget. This resulted in a lack of Equal Access to Direct Energy Efficiency services for Connecticut electric ratepayers created an inequitable tax on all electric ratepayers, including a tax on nonprofits.
**Currently Connecticut has lost the ability to provide energy efficiency to oil and propane properties. These households represent 51% of all households in CT. Our state’s highly awarded Direct Service Energy Efficiency (EE) programs can no longer equally serve Oil and Propane households.
Direct Service Energy Efficiency (EE) programs: These award winning EE programs are coordinated by the State of CT Energy Efficiency Board (EEB), and have helped countless working families, low income families, and businesses to lower their energy bills statewide. The Direct Service EE programs lower energy demand by providing on the spot energy savings and long term energy savings, which result in lowered air and water pollution, lower asthma rates, climate change mitigation, and related health problems.
ABOUT EE: Energy Efficiency
Energy Efficiency Services help households directly lower energy bills. This results in on the spot energy savings for the homeowner, renter, landlord, or business, and saves money across our state.
EE programs support 34,000 Connecticut jobs and generate $1.4 Billion a year in Gross State Product. These programs directly lower our state’s energy costs by hundreds of millions of dollars annually. EE programs generate $140 million dollars in state tax revenue in a single year. Direct Service residential Energy Efficiency programs have avoided $814 million dollars in state healthcare costs. Direct service EE has a 1 to 7 return on investment for the state of Connecticut ratepayers.
Energy Efficiency is the number one way to meet our state energy goals, slow climate change, and lower air pollution in our state. Air pollution caused by the burning of fossil fuel to generate electricity harms human health and causes damage to children’s developing lungs resulting in higher rates of asthma, heart disease and stroke.
Energy Efficiency is an economic driver and results in savings to the state of Connecticut. EE is the cheapest way to meet our energy goals and should be fully funded by the ratepayer money which was diverted to state’s general fund. Ratepayer money which is legislated to help the ratepayer lower energy bills through direct service EE and residential solar programs must be supported and not diverted in June 2018.
**The C&LM and RGGI are obtained through collections and ARE NOT a physical fund. The lack of an actual “fund” and the misunderstanding of how collections are “forecasted” and “collections reconciled”, has worsened the impacts on 2018 Direct Service EE programs, inclusive of low income programs and services to working families.
Our state must ensure that enough ratepayer C&LM and RGGI funds are available in years 2018 and 2019 to meet our state’s Comprehensive Energy Strategy (CES) goals or we will incur statewide economic penalties.