National Grid programs see economic, environmental results

ACCORDING TO A STUDY conducted by the New England Clean Energy Council, National Grid's statewide economic impact in 2012 totaled $27 million. The utility also created the equivalent of 528 full-time jobs through its energy efficiency programs, the study found. / COURTESY NATIONAL GRID
ACCORDING TO A STUDY conducted by the New England Clean Energy Council, National Grid's statewide economic impact in 2012 totaled $27 million. The utility also created the equivalent of 528 full-time jobs through its energy efficiency programs, the study found. / COURTESY NATIONAL GRID

(Corrected, 4:16 p.m.)

CRANSTON – National Grid’s energy efficiency programs generated the equivalent of 528 full-time jobs in Rhode Island last year and led to $27 million in statewide economic impact, according to a study conducted by the New England Clean Energy Council.

The study, commissioned and funded by National Grid, examined the economic impact of the utility’s programs on the state’s economy in 2012.

“For more than 25 years, Rhode Island has led the way in creating innovative energy efficiency programs that have cut our customers’ energy costs and benefited our environment,” said Timothy F. Horan, president of National Grid in Rhode Island, in a statement. “Now we have data to prove energy efficiency is helping to drive the state’s economy.”

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The 528 full-time jobs cited in the study represent 528 “full-time equivalents,” each representing 1,575 hours of work by National Grid employees, vendors, contractors and subcontractors involved in its energy efficiency programs.

The 528 jobs are all based in Rhode Island and have assisted multiple businesses involved in the energy efficiency industry, including Providence-based energy conservation company Energy Source.

“As a project expeditor for National Grid, we are charged with helping National Grid customers find opportunities to save energy through the installation of energy-efficient equipment,” said Ron Sliney, vice president of Energy Source. “Over the last five years, Energy Source’s business has experienced double-digit growth year after year. In a down economy, Energy Source has been able to work with nonunion and union electricians to increase the field workforce from 15 electricians to as many as 75 electricians and 15 mechanical technicians.”

Sliney joined Horan and Hugh Peltz, head of health, safety and environment for Citizens Bank, at a presentation Wednesday morning at the Citizens branch in Cranston to discuss National Grid’s economic impact and efficiency projects at the bank.

“Energy efficiency is important to Citizens Bank. It’s good for the environment and it’s good for business,” said Peltz. “By continuously working to improve the efficiency of our buildings and branches, we are lowering our operating costs and building value for our customers.”

National Grid’s energy efficiency programs are available to its residential, commercial and industrial customers throughout Rhode Island and are funded through a monthly charge on customers’ electric and natural gas bills.

The programs are expected to save its customers about $86 million on electricity and about $28.2 million on natural gas over the lifetime of the program, National Grid said, and save more than 1.3 gigawatt-hours of electricity and 3.3 million dekatherms of natural gas.

The resulting reduction in carbon emissions is equivalent to taking more than 225,000 motor vehicles off the road for one year, according to National Grid.

In 2012, more than 213,000 Rhode Island customers benefited directly through incentives and rebates offered by National Grid.

The original version of this article incorrectly named the New England Clean Energy Council as the New England Energy Council.

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