Explanation
This legislation authorizes the Director of Public Utilities to accept the award of an EcoSmart Choice Sustainability Grant in the amount of $50,366.00 from American Municipal Power, Inc. (AMP) and authorizes the Department of Public Utilities to establish a residential energy efficiency pilot program for current Division of Power residential single family and multi-unit dwelling customers. The EcoSmart Choice Sustainability Grant program was instituted by AMP to return unused funds to participating members. Sustainability Grants are thus intended to recognize EcoSmart Choice participating communities that demonstrate a commitment to sustainability through the promotion of environmentally focused, community based grant projects.
As a part of the Bloomberg American Cities Climate Challenge (ACCC) grant, Columbus has a goal of conducting 30,000 audits by 2020 within the Columbus region. This goal involves a partnership between AEP, Columbia Gas, City of Columbus, and the Division of Power. The goal will help Columbus residents increase their home energy efficiency and save more on their utility bills. The Division of Power proposes to utilize the $50,366.00 in grant funds to 1) promote the use of AEP and Columbia Gas’s online home energy assessment platform that will allow our customers to answer questions and become more educated about their home energy usage, and 2) provide energy efficiency kits to each of our residential customers. The kits will be similar to AEP’s kits which include LED bulbs and a smart power strip. We will need to contract with a third party to purchase kit materials and to provide fulfilment/mailing of the kits. Energy efficiency kits will be direct shipped to all Division of Power residential customers who live in the ACCC target areas.
FISCAL IMPACT: There is no matching requirement for this grant. Up to $50,366.00 will be spent for the purchase and distribution of energy efficiency kits to Division of Power resi...
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