June 6, 2014 — Competitive Resources, Inc., which designs and administers energy efficiency programs for utilities, is donating $25 to Operation Fuel for every home assessment completed for customers of two utilities, Connecticut Light and Power and The United Illuminating Company.
The assessments are part of the statewide Home Energy Solutions program run by Energize Connecticut. The program provides services like air sealing; installing efficient light bulbs and water-saving devices; and other efficiency measures. The services are provided to homeowners and renters to make their residences more energy efficient and, thereby, decrease their energy bills.
Operation Fuel is a statewide fuel fund that takes donations and provides grants, which average about $500 per household, to help people pay their heating bills. Going into the Fiscal Year 2014 heating season, the group expected to provide about $3 million in energy assistance to low-income Connecticut families.
Early on in the 2014 heating season, Operation Fuel said there was a decline in donations made through its "Add-a-Dollar" program when consumers pay their monthly utility bills. However, it benefited from a large settlement between the Connecticut Attorney General and Connecticut Light and Power in March, which resulted in the utility providing $2.5 million to Operation Fuel.
All the funding is needed. Going into the 2014 heating season, Operation Fuel released a report stating that over 295,000 households in Connecticut cannot pay their energy bills. The report found that more resources were needed to address the affordability gap of these households, which stood at $700 million.
Sources: Media reports, Operation Fuel, LIHEAP Clearinghouse
