TUCSON, Ariz.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Tucson Electric Power (TEP) will offer an expanded portfolio of energy efficiency (EE) programs in 2016, including a pilot program to pay for energy efficient measures at local schools.
TEP’s 2016 Energy Efficiency Implementation Plan, approved today by the Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC), includes new programs that can help customers save money, reduce their impact on the environment and limit the long-term need for new energy resources.
The new offerings, which will become available in the coming months, include a program to help schools improve their energy efficiency. While schools have participated in other TEP EE programs, this new program will be developed specifically for their needs. Preference will be given to schools that have not recently installed energy efficiency measures.
Another new program will provide instant discounts at participating retailers for residential customers who purchase certain Energy Star-certified products including air conditioners and washing machines.
New incentives will be available to homeowners and apartment owners who improve the efficiency of their heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems with “advanced tune-up” measures. “Tuning up” an existing HVAC system for greater efficiency can cost significantly less than buying a new unit.
Homeowners who arrange for a TEP-qualified HVAC professional to perform a thorough HVAC tune-up will receive a discount through the new program. They also will be eligible to purchase smart thermostats at a discount.
All new and existing EE programs are funded by the Demand Side Management (DSM) charge, a usage-based fee on customers’ monthly bills. The ACC reduced the residential charge to $0.001916 per kilowatt-hour for 2016. A residential customer with typical energy usage will pay an average DSM charge of less than $2 per month.
TEP’s EE programs have been proven cost-effective for all customers – not just those who participate — by reducing reliance on fossil fuels, resulting in reduced air emissions and water usage. Information about existing programs is available at tep.com/efficiency. Information about new programs will be added to the website as it becomes available.
TEP has helped customers save more than 641,000 megawatt-hours, enough energy to power nearly 62,000 homes for a year. These savings help TEP work toward the goals in Arizona’s Energy Efficiency Standard, which calls on utilities to achieve cumulative energy savings of 22 percent by 2020.
TEP provides safe, reliable service to approximately 417,000 customers in southern Arizona. For more information, visit tep.com.
