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Governor Dannel Malloy announced today a pilot program to help small businesses pay for energy costs.
The program is primarily funded by Dominion, which owns the Millstone nuclear power plant. The company is donating $1 million to the project. PSEG, which owns power plants in Bridgeport and New Haven, is donating $150,000. The money will provide small businesses, owned by women and minorities, with grants to help pay electric bills. It will take place in five cities: Hartford, Bridgeport, New London, New Haven and Waterbury.
Operation Fuel, a group that helps people in need of energy assistance, will run the program. Executive Director Pat Wrice says one of the goals is to train businesses in energy conservation.
“Specifically, we are going to provide them with an energy grant of anywhere from $500 to $1000. Beyond that we are going to conduct a number of workshops within those communities and have resources available to them.”
To be eligible, the businesses must have fewer than 50 employees and annual sales under $1 million. The project is expected to begin in mid-March.
For WNPR, I’m Nancy Cohen.
