Representative
Tom Plant and Senator Steve Johnson pass an energy efficiency bill to
help Colorado's consumers and businesses save $525 million.
Energy
bills have climbed through the roof this year, leaving hundreds of
thousands of Colorado's families and businesses struggling to keep up.
Representative Tom Plant and Senator Steve Johnson are sponsoring
legislation (HB-1147) that would help bring those energy bills back
down. The legislation would direct Xcel and other investor-owned
utility companies to offer energy efficiency programs to all customers.
HB-1147 passed through both the House and Senate and is on the way to
the Governor. Xcel's existing efficiency programs face the threat of
cancellation, despite their proven effectiveness.
"Energy
efficiency means spending less money to get the same electricity and
heating service" said Representative Plant. "These types of programs
are the fastest, cheapest way to take a big bite out of your energy
bill." With little significant increases in supply in the near future,
reducing demand is the only option that will hold down the cost of
natural gas that Coloradoans pay, added Senator Johnson.
Rex
Wilmouth, director of CoPIRG, a consumer advocacy group, pointed out
that Xcel and other utilities already run similar energy efficiency
programs in Minnesota, Texas, Utah, and Montana, among other states.
"For every dollar Xcel spends on its energy efficiency programs in
Minnesota, customers save over $5.00. If they can do this in Minnesota
(their home state), they can do it here as well."
While
consumers clearly benefit from being offered such services as cash
incentives, technical assistance, and free energy conservation
products, the new legislation would make sure that there was something
in it for the utilities as well. "This legislation saves consumers
money, but it also guarantees that utilities will be compensated for
the efficiency services that they provide. This is a classic case of a
win-win situation for both the business and the customer", noted
Wilmouth. Without the legislation, there is little financial incentive
for Xcel to offer energy efficiency services.
Wilmouth,
added that "We fully support the continuation and expansion of energy
efficiency programs here in Colorado. They can save consumers at least
$525 million between now and 2020. Representative Plant and Senator
Johnson are offering a strong bipartisan solution to a crisis that the
state faces right now."
