FortisBC energy diets receive large scale support
By Contributor
Many customers will soon see reduced energy use thanks to their commitment to FortisBC’s energy diets. In just ten days more than 330 homeowners signed up for the Okanagan Energy Diet. In the Kootenays, more than 600 homeowners are participating, making the region closer to reaching its goal of 1,000 energy assessments.
Part of the success of the energy diets is thanks to local elected officials spreading the word and the benefits.
“I support this initiative and hope as many people as possible are able to take advantage of its cost saving measures,” said Linda Larson, MLA, for Boundary-Similkameen.
The energy diets give people the opportunity to receive home energy assessments for $60 dollars – compared to the regular price of $400. This number drops even lower in the 15 communities where local governments have offered additional funds for assessments.
“We’re very pleased with the communities’ enthusiasm for the energy diets,” said Tom Loski, vice-president of customer service for FortisBC. “When a professional assessor walks through customers’ homes they’re shown simple tips to save energy and where they could make energy efficient upgrades. This paves the way to savings on their energy bill.”
Tia Toni, an energy diet participant from Kelowna, said she signed up because she’s “looking for cost savings, and a better understanding of how our house consumes energy, so we can make educated choices.”
The energy assessor will also install energy saving products, like a low flow shower head and kitchen tap aerator, directly into energy diet participants’ homes. To help manage the upfront costs of energy efficient upgrades, participants will also get assistance applying for up to $6,000 worth of rebates and, if eligible, access to long-term loans.
Community information sessions, also known as ener-ventions, continue across the Okanagan and the Kootenays and provide customers an opportunity to sign up in person, speak directly to energy experts and contractors and get some energy-saving tips. For more information on how to sign up for the energy diet, and for ener-vention dates, visit fortisbc.com/energydiet or call us at 1-866-436-7847.
FortisBC is committed to helping customers conserve energy and get the most out of their energy dollar by providing financial incentives and energy savings tips for natural gas and electricity. Since it was founded in 1989, FortisBC’s PowerSense program has helped Southern Interior electricity customers save more than 445 gigawatt hours. That’s enough electricity to power 35,000 homes every year for twenty four years.
FortisBC is a regulated utility focused on providing safe and reliable energy, including natural gas, electricity, propane and thermal energy solutions. FortisBC employs more than 2,200 British Columbians and serves approximately 1.1 million customers in more than 135 B.C. communities. FortisBC is indirectly wholly owned by Fortis Inc., the largest investor-owned distribution utility in Canada. FortisBC owns and operates four regulated hydroelectric generating plants, approximately 7,000 kilometres of transmission and distribution power lines, and approximately 47,000 kilometres of natural gas transmission and distribution pipelines. FortisBC Inc., FortisBC Energy Inc., FortisBC Energy (Vancouver Island) Inc., and FortisBC Energy (Whistler) Inc. do business as FortisBC. Fortis Inc. shares are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange and trade under the symbol FTS. Additional information can be accessed at www.fortisinc.comor www.sedar.com.
