The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) is hosting a
special meeting and is accepting public comments concerning Eversource Energy (Eversource)
and United Illuminating’s (UI, together with Eversource, the EDCs) letter to DEEP, dated March
17, 2020, regarding “Connecticut Energy Efficiency Programs, COVID-19 Contingency
Planning” (“3/17/20 Letter”) and other related topics. The special meeting will be held on
Friday, March 20, 2020 beginning at 1:15 p.m. by teleconference only via the Zoom Meeting
information provided below:
URL: https://ctdeep.zoom.us/j/558641213
Phone: (646)-876-9923
Meeting ID: 558-641-213
By the 3/17/20 Letter, the EDCs ordered the suspension of all on-site (in-home and on-premise)
inspection activities and directed contractors to “not engage in any field activity that puts
themselves or others at risk.” DEEP recognizes that this directive, while necessary for the
protection of public health, will have very serious implications for the Conservation & Load
Management (C&LM) programs and the vendor community’s business continuity. The state’s
C&LM programs support direct employment of more than 160 vendors, and indirect
employment of approximately 36,000 jobs in the heating, ventilation and air-conditioning,
lighting and advanced building materials sectors in the State of Connecticut. DEEP is seeking
input as we assess how to mitigate workforce and program issues caused by the COVID-19
pandemic. DEEP therefore is seeking the participation of the Home Energy Solutions and Home
Energy Solutions - Income Eligible vendors, small business vendors, vendors who participate in
Energy Opportunities and Energy Blueprint programs, the Energy Efficiency Board, Eversource
and UI, and any other interested stakeholders in this process.
The March 20th special meeting will be the first in an ongoing series of stakeholder meetings
DEEP will host as we work through this extraordinary public health emergency. As a first
priority, DEEP encourages businesses to participate in any available state and federal aid
programs, and to identify gaps in available aid during the pendency of this state of emergency.
Concurrently, it is important to identify aspects of the programs that can continue without
performing on-site work and in accordance with evolving social distancing guidance.
Recognizing the role that our vendors and other energy efficiency-related businesses provide in
the green economy, next priorities will include developing a plan for ramping up program
services as this public emergency comes to an end and we enter the phase of economic recovery.
Prior to the March 20th special meeting, DEEP will issue an agenda and a list of topics on which
DEEP is requesting public comment that will help inform the strategies that DEEP can
implement in the near term. Following the special meeting, written comments may be submitted
to DEEP via electronic mail to deep.energybureau@ct.gov by 4:00 p.m., Tuesday March 24,
2020.
DEEP will review the input from the discussion at the March 20th special meeting and the written
comments and expects to provide direction on next steps by 12:00 p.m. on Friday March 27,
2020.
The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection is an Affirmative
Action/Equal Opportunity employer that is committed to complying with the requirements of the
American with Disabilities Act. Please contact us at (860)418-5910
or deep.accomodations@ct.gov if you have a disability and need a communication aid or service;
have limited proficiency in English and may need information in another language; or if you
wish to file an ADA or Title VI discrimination complaint. Any person needing a hearing
accommodation may call the State of Connecticut relay number – 711.
