Energy Cents Commit Energy Now to Survive

With Xcel Energy, Energy CENTS established the POWER On pilot as a permanent program. This program limits the amount of income low income customers devote to electric costs to no more than 3% of household income. Households with the highest energy consumption and lowest incomes are provided both bill payment and conservation assistance (energy savings program described below). In January 2006, ECC won a competitive award to deliver Xcel Energy?s low income Conservation Improvement Program (CIP) in the east metro area. Each regulated gas and electric utility in Minnesota is required to spend a percentage of overall revenue for conservation programs. In addition, a portion of CIP funds must be spent on low income households throughout the utility?s service territory. Because Xcel Energy provides natural gas service primarily in the east metro area, ECC administers about 90% of all Xcel low-income gas CIP funds and about one-seventh of all Xcel low-income electric funds. The conservation component targets those households with the highest energy consumption and coordinates energy audits, insulation work and furnace and electric appliance replacement in order to reduce customers? home energy use. Xcel provides approximately $700,000 for conservation services. ECC participates in proceedings before the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission to represent low income utility consumers. ECC intervenes in utility rate cases to limit price increases on low income customers, in proceedings related to conservation and customer service policies, and in cases involving utility-sponsored affordability programs.