派區克政府批准新能源計劃 約須投資27億元

BOSTON – February 1, 2013 – Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) Secretary Rick Sullivan today announced that the Department of Public Utilities (DPU) yesterday gave final approval to three-year plans that will commit the state’s investor-owned utilities and the Cape Light Compact to deliver more aggressive savings to customers, boost the economy and protect the environment. The plans will lead to net benefits of more than $6 billion over the lifetime of the measures implemented.

“These new three-year plans will continue our work toward a clean energy future,” said Governor Deval Patrick. “Reducing energy costs for Massachusetts residents, our reliance on foreign sources of energy and our impact on the environment will serve the Commonwealth well for generations to come.”

The approval of the three-year plans expands the Commonwealth’s nation‑leading goals for electricity and natural gas savings from energy efficiency investments and marks another important step in helping the Commonwealth address vital energy issues. The plans call for $2.7 billion in investments that will result in nearly $9 billion in benefits over the life of the installed measures, with a benefit-to-cost ratio greater than three-to-one; for every dollar invested in energy efficiency, ratepayers will receive over three dollars in return over the lifetime of measures installed.

“Reducing our energy consumption will yield significant environmental benefits and help control high energy costs that burden families and businesses in Massachusetts,” Attorney General Martha Coakley said. “These energy efficiency programs are an important step in helping people reduce their energy consumption which can lead to lower bills and lower emissions from power plants.”  

“We are proud to lead the nation in energy efficiency and these plans will ensure that we maintain our spot and continue our clean energy revolution,” said Secretary Sullivan. “We are expanding the work we’ve done over the last three years to cut energy use, save money and reduce emissions across the Commonwealth.”

Following an exhaustive process led by EEA’s Department of Energy Resources (DOER) and Attorney General Martha Coakley’s office, the Energy Efficiency Advisory Council unanimously approved the electric and natural gas utilities’ second three-year efficiency plans last fall, and the utilities filed them with the DPU on Nov. 2, 2012.