Progress Energy Carolinas Adds To Proposed Energy-Efficiency and DSM Portfolio
May 01 2008 - 12:24PM
PR Newswire (US)
Programs target efficiency in new construction and retrofits;
additional programs to be filed RALEIGH, N.C., May 1 /PRNewswire/
-- Progress Energy Carolinas today proposed to the N.C. Utilities
Commission three additional programs to promote energy efficiency
and demand-side management. The filings are part of the utility's
commitment to creating a comprehensive portfolio of programs to
appeal to customers of all sizes, budgets and needs. (Logo:
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20020923/CHM008LOGO-c ) Today's
filings include programs that aim to increase the level of energy
efficiency built into new homes, and commercial, industrial and
government buildings, as well as a program to supplement
energy-efficiency retrofits for existing commercial, industrial and
government facilities. "We are focused on developing and offering
an array of programs that will be helpful to all customers who want
to become more energy efficient," said Lloyd Yates, president and
CEO of Progress Energy Carolinas. "They are designed to create
mutual benefits. Our overall goal is to help customers make
efficiency a part of their daily lives. Doing so not only saves
them money but also helps delay the need to build power plants for
our growing region." Today's filings include: Home Advantage: This
is a residential new construction program designed to encourage
builders and developers to construct new homes that meet U.S. EPA
ENERGY STAR(R), or higher, energy-efficiency standards. The
proposed program, called Home Advantage, will provide an incentive
of up to $400 to builders and developers whose single-family or
multi-family housing units, high-rise condominiums or manufactured
housing units meet ENERGY STAR(R) qualifications. The program also
will provide rebates to builders for installing efficiency
equipment, including a proposed rebate of $1,000 for installation
of residential solar water-heating systems in new homes.
Commercial, industrial and government (CIG) new construction -
custom: This proposed program will promote energy efficiency within
the CIG new construction market through custom energy-efficiency
design reviews. Progress Energy Carolinas and the company's
pre-qualified energy-efficiency engineering firms will work with
CIG customers' design teams to provide comprehensive design review
and recommend upgrade options to energy-conservation measures.
Areas to be evaluated include lighting, HVAC, refrigeration,
energy-management systems, motors, solar hot water systems and
other cost-effective energy- conservation measures. Custom
financial incentives will be provided to enable customers to
achieve a two-year payback on their investments. CIG
retrofit-custom: This proposed program includes a partnership with
pre-qualified energy-efficiency engineering firms to provide energy
audits and recommendations for energy-efficiency upgrades to
existing CIG facilities. These custom audits will include reviewing
cost-effective upgrades for lighting, HVAC, refrigeration,
energy-management systems, motors, solar hot water systems and
other components and systems. The goal of the program is to improve
the energy efficiency of existing facilities by providing custom
financial incentives that will enable the customers to achieve a
two-year payback on their investment. Growing portfolio of programs
Earlier this week, Progress Energy Carolinas filed programs for
residential load control and for enhancement of the electric
distribution grid so it can be used to reduce peak demand
systemwide. At full implementation, those two programs are expected
to produce nearly 450 megawatts of peak-demand reduction, the
equivalent of several large peaking power plants. The success of
the programs filed today will be determined by participation
levels. In the coming months, the company expects to file
additional programs ranging from rebates on individual efficiency
improvements and equipment purchases - including residential solar
water heating rebates for existing homes - to a comprehensive home
energy improvement program that will address heating and air
conditioning, duct work, lighting, insulation and other components
and systems. Other programs will focus on enhanced efficiency for
low-income households, small commercial businesses, non-profits and
military base family housing, as well as new construction and
retrofitting existing construction. The programs proposed, and
those yet to be filed, are a key part of the company's strategy to
double its energy efficiency portfolio to 2,000 megawatts (MW) and
delay the need to build power plants. Progress Energy Carolinas
expects to file for the same programs in South Carolina in the
coming months. The company expects the regulatory commissions to
act on the proposals later this year. Thereafter, Progress Energy
Carolinas will provide additional information on how customers can
participate. As previously announced, Progress Energy Carolinas
will seek commission approval of appropriate incentives. The
company has proposed a 50/50 shared- savings model, under which the
costs and benefits of these programs will be evaluated together,
and the benefits of reducing peak electricity demand will be shared
between customers and the utility. The model is consistent with the
provisions of the state's energy bill enacted last year. Meanwhile,
the company continues to provide efficiency information through the
Save The Watts campaign. Save The Watts is an educational
initiative that features a highly interactive Web site
(http://www.savethewatts.com/) with energy-efficiency program
details and more than 100 useful tips for customers to save energy.
The Web site provides a calculator for customers to measure their
energy savings as well as their carbon footprint, a calculation of
the individual's energy usage to reflect his or her contribution to
greenhouse gas emissions. Progress Energy, headquartered in
Raleigh, N.C., is a Fortune 250 energy company with more than
21,000 megawatts of generation capacity and $9 billion in annual
revenues. The company, which will celebrate a century of service in
2008, includes two major utilities that serve 3.1 million customers
in the Carolinas and Florida. Progress Energy is the 2006 recipient
of the Edison Electric Institute's Edison Award, the industry's
highest honor, in recognition of its operational excellence. The
company also is the first utility to receive the prestigious J.D.
Power and Associates Founder's Award for customer service. Progress
Energy serves two growing areas of the country, and the company is
pursuing a balanced approach to meeting the future energy needs of
the region. That balance includes increased energy efficiency
programs, investments in renewable energy technologies and a
state-of-the-art electricity system. For more information about
Progress Energy, visit the company's Web site at
http://www.progress-energy.com/.
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20020923/CHM008LOGO-c
http://photoarchive.ap.org/ DATASOURCE: Progress Energy Carolinas
CONTACT: Progress Energy media information line, +1-877-641-NEWS
(6397) Web site: http://www.progress-energy.com/
http://www.savethewatts.com/
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