(New Britain, CT – Jan. 18, 2022) – Connecticut’s Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) launches Energy Storage Solutions, a statewide electric storage program for all Eversource and United Illuminating (UI) residential, commercial, and industrial customers in an effort to foster a more reliable and resilient electric distribution system, especially for vulnerable communities.

Energy Storage Solutions will be administered by the Connecticut Green Bank, along with Eversource and UI. The nine-year program officially launched on January 1, 2022, and will continue through at least December 31, 2030.

Average upfront incentives for residential customers will initially be around $200 per kilowatt-hour (kWh), with a maximum per project incentive of $7,500. Commercial and industrial customers will also be eligible for upfront incentives, with a maximum incentive of 50% of the project cost. Residential, commercial, and industrial customers will all be eligible for performance incentive payments based on the average power an electric storage project contributes to the grid during critical periods.

Additional incentives will be available for those who would most benefit from increased resilience measures, such as low-income customers, customers in underserved communities, small businesses, and customers who historically experience the most frequent and longest duration storm-related outages.

“We are combatting the climate crisis and building our economy by making investments that promote environmental justice, healthier communities, affordable energy, and expanded jobs and opportunity. Adding a statewide electric storage program to our toolkit will play a vital role in these efforts and I thank the entire PURA team and our legislative partners for their leadership on this initiative,” said Governor Ned Lamont.

Development of the Energy Storage Solutions was informed by objectives outlined in Public Act (PA) 21-53, which establishes a statewide goal of deploying 1,000 megawatts (MW) of energy storage by year-end 2030. Governor Ned Lamont signed the unanimously bipartisan-supported legislation into law in June, making Connecticut the eighth U.S. state to issue an energy storage deployment target.

“Public Act 21-53 put Connecticut on the map as a potential leader in realizing the benefits of energy storage. The launch of Energy Storage Solutions builds on that vision by establishing a statewide comprehensive program that not only incorporates different applications and types of electric storage, but ensures the state is on a path to achieving 1,000 MW by 2030,” said PURA Chairman Marissa P. Gillett. “The Green Bank, working in collaboration with the utilities, will help ensure that our families and businesses, especially those within vulnerable communities, access the important benefits that electric storage provides in terms of resilience and modernizing the grid.”

“The strategic deployment of energy storage is a critical element in our planned transition to a more renewable energy future,” said Senate Chair of the Energy & Technology Committee Norm Needleman (D-Essex). “I am very pleased that the launch of the Energy Storage Solutions program capitalizes on the momentum generated by last year’s bipartisan legislation and I look forward to the resilience benefits it will bring to our communities.”

“The launch of this program is a step forward to achieving the long-term goal of strengthening our grid reliability and greenhouse gas reduction targets,” said House Chair of the Energy & Technology Committee David Arconti (D-Danbury).  “When there is more energy storage powered by renewables, fewer fossil fuel units will be needed for grid reliability, and that certainly is a great start.”

The Green Bank, Eversource Energy, and United Illuminating are partnering to bring customers Energy Storage Solutions overseen by PURA and paid for by electric ratepayers. Customers interested in learning more should visit www.energystoragect.com.

About PURA

The Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) is statutorily charged with regulating the rates and services of Connecticut’s investor owned electricity, natural gas, water and telecommunication companies and is the franchising authority for the state’s cable television companies.  In the industries that are still wholly regulated, PURA balances the public’s right to safe, adequate and reliable utility service at reasonable rates with the provider’s right to a reasonable return on its investment. PURA also keeps watch over competitive utility services to promote equity among the competitors while customers reap the price and quality benefits of competition and are protected from unfair business practices.

About the Green Bank

The Connecticut Green Bank is the nation’s first green bank. Its mission is to confront climate change and provide all of society a healthier and more prosperous future by increasing and accelerating the flow of private capital into markets that energize the green economy.

About Eversource

Eversource (NYSE: ES), celebrated as a national leader for its corporate citizenship, is the #1 energy company in Newsweek’s list of America’s Most Responsible Companies for 2021 and recognized as one of America’s Most JUST Companies. Eversource transmits and delivers electricity to 1.27 million customers in 149 cities and towns, provides natural gas to 246,000 customers in 74 communities, and supplies water to approximately 216,000 customers in 52 communities across Connecticut. Eversource harnesses the commitment of approximately 9,300 employees across three states to build a single, united company around the mission of safely delivering reliable energy and water with superior customer service. The #1 energy efficiency provider in the nation, the company is empowering a clean energy future in the Northeast, with nationally-recognized energy efficiency solutions and successful programs to integrate new clean energy resources like solar, offshore wind, electric vehicles and battery storage, into the electric system. For more information, please visit Eversource.com. For more information on our water services, visit Aquarionwater.com.

About UI

United Illuminating, Southern Connecticut Gas and Connecticut Natural Gas, subsidiaries of AVANGRID Inc. is a leading, sustainable energy company with $32 billion in assets and operations in 24 U.S. states. AVANGRID has two primary lines of business: Avangrid Networks and Avangrid Renewables. Avangrid Networks owns eight electric and natural gas utilities, serving 3.2 million customers in New York and New England.