Southwest Connecticut Summer Savers Awards Program

Are you taking steps to reduce your electricity use? You might be a Summer Saver!

The Southwest Connecticut Summer Savers Awards recognize electricity consumers in Fairfield and New Haven Counties who are able to demonstrate substantial reductions in the amount of peak electricity they consume over the summer season without the use of diesel backup generators. Summer Savers Media Advisory for 2009

States in the Northeast face a significant challenge this summer: maintaining electricity reliability without harming the region’s air quality. In Connecticut, the Departments of Economic and Community Development, Environmental Protection, and Public Utility Control, and the Office of Policy and Management have teamed up to help businesses and the public meet this challenge. Communities in Southwest Connecticut can have begun to take steps to employ energy efficiency, conservation and load management to reduce the amount of electricity they consume without utilizing backup diesel generators that emit high rates of pollutant emissions. This helps improve Southwest Connecticut ’s electric system reliability without harming the area’s air quality.

Eligible participants will be those organizations that volunteer to reduce their grid electricity consumption by 5% or more without using high-emission backup generation (such as diesel generators), and monitor and report their summer electricity usage.

For each year, only those located in Fairfield and New Haven counties, in the Southwestern section of Connecticut , are eligible for an award. In the future, awards may be expanded state-wide.

To receive a Southwest Connecticut Summer Savers Award, you must be able to show that you have reduced your summer electricity use from the amount consumed during the previous two summer seasons. Information from your utility bills for each month from May to September will need to be tracked and reported.

The deadline for submitting an application for the 2008 Summer Season to receive an award is February 20, 2009, for awards to be given in April, 2009.

There are several award levels based on electricity savings during the period from May 1 to September 30. Awards are presented each year for the following categories.

Platinum:	In addition, an award will also be given for the most outstanding achievement from among all of the Southwest Connecticut Summer Saver awardees.
Gold:	A greater than 20 percent reduction in electricity consumption (kWh) (as well as kW demand, where applicable) from the baseline
Silver:	A 10 to 20 percent reduction in electricity consumption (kWh) (as well as kW demand, where applicable) from the baseline
Bronze:	A 5 to 10 percent reduction in electricity consumption (kWh) (as well as kW demand, where applicable) from the baseline
Peak Performer:	Participants with the highest achievement for the summer period (May 1 to September 30) in ISO New England’s 2008 Load Response Program, without the use of back up diesel generation

To apply for a bronze, silver, gold, or platinum award, you will need to use records from your utility bills for May – September for the years 2006, 2007, and 2008 to fill out the application form. Submitting copies of these records is optional, although they may be requested for verification purposes.

To apply for a Peak Performer Award, you will need to have participated in ISO New England’s Load Response Program in the most recent Summer.