Energy Conservation Program in Connecticut Saves $473 Million

By Dana Ambrosini, Connecticut Post, Bridgeport -- April 16

Paying people to save money is paying off.

Connecticut's 2001 conservation programs saved enough electricity to serve approximately 40,000 average homes in the state for a year, according to the Energy Conservation Management Board's 2001 annual report.

The beauty of conservation measures -- which range from incentives for building efficiently to selling energy-efficient lighting -- is that they keep saving energy and money year after year, said board member Richard Steeves.

"Whatever you save in one year continues over the life of the program," Steeves said. "It compounds every year."

The energy savings produced by programs implemented in 2001 will grow to $473 million in reduced energy costs for customers over the life of the measures, Steeves said.

The reduction in energy use also cuts down on sulfur dioxide emissions and other pollution caused by the generation of electricity, Steeves said.

Electricity customers pay for conservation activities through a 0.3-cent-per-kilowatt-hour charge in their United Illuminating Co. or Connecticut Light and Power Co. bills. Customers contributed $86 million to the Conservation & Load Management Fund last year.

The Conservation Management Board advises the utility companies on conservation programs. Its annual report is made to the Connecticut General Assembly.

That money paid for conservation programs, such as one that certified housing developments as Energy Star efficient.

"If somebody buys that, they know it's an efficient home," Steeves said.

United Illuminating has worked with 12 builders on Energy Star homes, said Cathy Lezon, senior business development professional for the UI conservation department. "More and more builders have come on board," she said.

An Energy Star home is not necessarily more expensive to build than a regular home, said Mike Buckley, director of operations for Milford-based developer Smith Craft Real Estate Corp.

Buckley estimated that a 3,500-square-foot Energy Star home might cost about $2,500 more than average -- a smidgen of the going prices for that size home, which start at $300,000 in the state.

"There's no sense in not doing it that way anymore," Buckley said.

Insulation, lighting, windows and heating are all aspects of the home that can be made more efficient, Buckley said.

Connecticut is apparently ahead of the energy conservation curve. The state's energy consumption is 28 percent below the national average, according to a recent University of Connecticut report. For every dollar of input the state produces $18.56 of output, compared with a $14.28 average nationwide.

Other programs apply monetary incentives to homeowners who purchase efficient appliances. CL&P conducted a mail-in rebate program for customers who purchased energy efficient clothes washers.

Many programs are also aimed at commercial, industrial customers and even municipalities.

For example, the city of Bridgeport last April received a $193,950 rebate check from UI for using energy-conservation measures at several municipal buildings.

The aim is to ultimately transform the markets to the extent that energy efficiency is a given in homes, appliances and other products, Steeves said. In other words, at some point, utilities will not have to pay people to convince them to save money and the environment.

To learn more about conservation rebates and other programs, UI customers can call 1-877-WISE-USE and CL&P customers can call 1-877-602-SAVE.

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(c) 2002, Connecticut Post, Bridgeport. Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News. UIL,