SEMCO ENERGY Gas Company EWR collaboration with Community

SEMCO ENERGY Gas Company EWR collaboration with Community Action Agencies

o SEMCO Contracts with the Blue Water Community Action Agency (BWCA). Support Structure o BWCA works with other participating Community Action Agencies (CAA) in SEMCO service territory to offer rebates. o Rebates are offered for the installation of energy efficient measures such as: o Natural Gas Furnace and Boiler, Programmable Thermostat, Air Sealing, Rim Joist Insulation, Attic Hatch and Stairs, and Pipe Wrap is rebated at a flat rate. o Wall, roof, crawl, mobile home floor, and kneewall insulation are rebated per square foot installed. o All measures align with the MEMD and weatherization standards.

BWCA collects all applications and screens participants and measures installed for EWR eligibility. BWCA is paid a fee for facilitating each job. Each participating CAA is also paid a support fee. Administration Applications are one page and collect all necessary data for evaluation. SEMCO works with BWCA to track the budget and savings. The Community Action Agency program is currently 20% of SEMCO’s income-qualified budget.

Rebate support is used as a buy-down by the CAAs. This allows for projects that would otherwise be rejected as not cost effective through weatherization program requirements, including those with health and safety costs exceeding the allowable 15%. Ease of use, no requirement for reservations, and the rebate support increased CAA participation by 200% the first year it was implemented. Advantages SEMCO worked with CAAs to determine how the program could be expanded to reach customers in need that would have otherwise been turned away. Emergency Furnace and Boiler Replacement Program began in Q 4 of 2017. Barriers overcome: Waitlist too long, home had previously been weatherized, or project would not meet cost requirements of weatherization program. Expanded in 2018 to support the flood disaster relief efforts in Houghton. SEMCO’s low-income program as a whole continues to be cost effective.

Questions? Please contact Avrie Dunsmore at SEMCO avrie. dunsmore@semcoenergy. com