National Grid's 2014 Energy Efficiency Programs Top Gas and Electric Savings Goals

Rhode Island programs sustain more than 630 full-time jobs

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The more than 41,500 National Grid customers in Rhode Island who participated in the company’s 2014 energy efficiency programs can expect to save a combined $427 million over the 13 year lifetime of the programs. The 2014 annual energy efficiency report recently filed with the Rhode Island Public Utilities Commission also shows that electric customers saved a record 268,468 megawatt hours (MWh) of electricity through energy efficiency. This makes Rhode Island number one nationally in electricity savings as a percentage of electricity demand. The number of participating customers increased seven per cent over 2013 totals, with many customers taking advantage of more than one energy efficiency program offered by the company.

“National Grid has a 25-year history of designing and managing energy efficiency programs,” said Timothy F. Horan, president of National Grid in Rhode Island. “To translate that experience into savings for our customers is gratifying. It’s also a very real example of how we partner with customers to help reduce their energy costs as well as help drive the local economy.”

The electric savings accounted for approximately $377 million of the total lifetime savings. Gas customers saved more than 409,000 million BTU’s (MMBtu) during the year. That translates into a $50 million savings over the program lifetimes.

To achieve these savings, the company invested more than $101.6 million in electric and natural gas programs designed to reduce energy use, save money for customers, improve the environment and improve the health, comfort and safety or homes and businesses. The budget for the current calendar year is $110 million. Funding for these programs is paid through the energy efficiency charge on customer bills.

Economic Impact

To measure the overall benefits the energy efficiency programs provide to the Rhode Island economy, National Grid commissioned the Peregrine Energy Group to look at employment and other economic impacts occurring as a result of the programs.

Peregrine determined that in 2014 National Grid’s energy efficiency programs supported nearly 640 full-time equivalent (FTE) workers at 899 different companies and agencies, 77 percent of which were located in Rhode Island. This represents an increase of 17 percent over the number of jobs supported by energy efficiency programs in 2013.

The job totals were determined through interviews with management of energy service companies, equipment vendors and contractors identified by National Grid. Job types include program design consultants, equipment manufacturers and suppliers, equipment and appliance retailers, architectural firms, engineers and energy analysts, installation companies, independent contractors and others.

National Grid works directly with its customers, both residential and commercial, who are interested in finding opportunities to save power and money through energy efficiency projects. Rhode Islanders interested in learning more about the company’s energy efficiency programs are encouraged to click here.