Alliance and Associates Launch Clean and Efficient Energy Program

February 5, 2009 – This week, executives from the American Public Power Association (APPA), the Large Public Power Council (LPPC), and the Alliance to Save Energy convened to launch the Clean and Efficient Energy Program (CEEP) for public power, a three-year, nationwide initiative promoting investment in energy efficiency and clean energy by publicly-owned utilities.

Conceived in 2008, CEEP’s official launch coincides with the coming infusion of federal funds from the recently enacted American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. “With tens of billions of dollar in federal funding and tax incentives for energy efficiency included in the economic recovery legislation, public power utilities will have an unprecedented opportunity to expand their energy conservation programs and help their customers save energy and lower their bills,” said Kateri Callahan, president of the Alliance. “CEEP will be an invaluable aid to municipalities as they plan and implement stimulus-funded projects.”

CEEP will support utilities in the search for greater energy efficiency and clean energy through a number of measures. It will offer public power managers topical “toolkits” that summarize successful strategies, as well as step-by-step guidance in program planning, program design and implementation and program evaluation.

By providing turnkey program models and downloadable templates, CEEP will enable public power utilities to quickly implement programs that have already been shown to work; it will also offer guidance in scaling programs to fit public power utilities with varying service areas, budgets and program goals.

CEEP has also positioned itself as the go-to resource for utilities by offering online information resources supplemented by peer-exchange features, as well as access to energy efficiency experts and in-person support. There are also workshops designed to integrate where possible with existing APPA, LPPC and regional entities’ training, services and programs.

CEEP Program Director Emily Zimmerman noted that “CEEP will help bring recognition to exemplary communities and programs by sharing their success stories with those needing new or additional resources. Esssentially, CEEP will help to empower the next generation of public power energy efficiency leaders."

CEEP is currently funded with support from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. For more information, please visit the CEEP website: www.cleanandefficientenergy.org.