Powering Up a New Strategy for Connecticut

02.19.2013
Issues & Policies

Originally unveiled at a CBIA energy conference last fall, Connecticut’s first-ever Comprehensive Energy Strategy for Connecticut was revealed in final form by Governor Malloy today at two media events.
The strategy is designed to set “a clear path toward cheaper, cleaner, and more reliable energy for Connecticut consumers,” said the Governor.

“The Comprehensive Energy Strategy sets Connecticut apart by bringing down energy costs for both residents and businesses. Focusing on innovative approaches to energy efficiency—cost effective renewable power, smarter building management, and expanded use of low-cost natural gas, we are reducing consumer costs, making the state more competitive, and creating good jobs with good benefits.”

The CES is also the culmination of landmark energy legislation passed by the General Assembly in 2011 that has been called “the most important breakthrough in energy policy that has occurred in the United States in the last five years.”
When the draft of the strategy was released in October, both CBIA and the AFL-CIO welcomed it by sharing a byline on an opinion piece published in the Hartford Courant. And since then, nearly 1,000 sets of comments on the draft CES were received by the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.
Connecticut traditionally has some of the highest energy costs in the nation, and businesses—especially manufacturers—are significant power consumers.
The task ahead now is to implement key components of the CES that will help manufacturers and other businesses in the state gain continuous access to a diverse portfolio of affordable energy sources.
Not just a blueprint, the CES also is providing centralized information resources to businesses and other consumers in how to reduce their energy bills, including through:

  • Energizect.com: Find all of the state’s energy efficiency programs. The site is a joint project of the Connecticut Energy Efficiency Fund, the Clean Energy Finance and Investment Authority, DEEP, and the electric and gas utilities.
  • Office of Energy Efficient Businesses (OEEB): Features direct outreach to small businesses; single point of contact for all energy services; information on loans and grants for energy efficiency, conservation, and renewable energy; audit assessment services and on-site outreach by independent staff; and information on accessing Connecticut’s competitive electric and gas suppliers.

For more information, contact CBIA’s Eric Brown at 860.244.1926 or eric.brown@cbia.com.

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