Duke to provide energy upgrades
By Rochelle Moore
Published in News on June 5, 2017 7:02 AM
Full SizeDuke Energy is getting ready to provide no-cost energy efficient upgrades to nearly 1,900 homes in Goldsboro.
Residents have received notice of the opportunity, and Duke is hosting a meeting for the eligible residents on June 8, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the W.A. Foster Center, 1012 S. John St.
Residents will be able to speak with energy specialists and ask questions or convey any concerns during the meeting. They will also learn more about the program.
After the meeting, Duke Energy will mail postcards to homeowners notifying them of the day and time crews will be in the neighborhood making installations. The work is planned to start soon and will take up to 12 weeks to complete, said Meredith Archie, Duke Energy spokesperson.
Duke Energy's Neighborhood Energy Saver Program will provide a home energy assessment and install more than a dozen energy saving products, expected to reduce electric bills.
The 1,900 homeowners have already been pre-approved for the program, based on income thresholds. All have been notified that there is no cost to receive the voluntary service.
"We want to give customers bill-lowering tools and information to make a long-lasting, positive change in how they use energy," said Millie Chalk, Duke Energy government and community relations manager for Wayne County.
Residents will also be able to learn how to reduce energy consumption. Along with the improvements, Duke Energy customers can save an estimated $95 on their bills annually, Archie said.
Energy-efficient improvements planned include the installation of electric water heater wraps, water pipe insulation, light bulbs, water-saving faucet aerators and shower heads, digital wall plate thermometers and window air conditioning winterization products.
Customers will also receive a water heater temperature check and adjustment, a year's supply of heating and air conditioning filters, and a filter-change calendar.
Goldsboro neighborhoods selected for the program includes homes along and near South Slocumb Street, Dixie Trail, Harris Street, Olivia Lane, East Elm Street from Randolph Street to North Slocumb Street, and neighborhoods bordered by North Andrews, Evergreen, South Audubon, East Walnut, East Mulberry and North Slocumb streets.
"The Neighborhood Energy Saver Program uses census and state income data to identify neighborhoods with income-qualified households," Archie said. "The program works in neighborhoods where at least 50 percent of the residents live below 200 percent of the federal poverty level."
Federal guidelines are used to objectively select communities where the program is determined to have the greatest benefit, Archie said.
No other Goldsboro or Wayne County locations have been selected for the program this year, she said.
"Currently, we don't have any future projects confirmed, but it is a possibility that we could do this again in other parts of the Goldsboro or Wayne County," Archie said.
"In 2016, we did a neighborhood in Mount Olive, and we did another Goldsboro neighborhood in 2010."
The program, which started in 2006, has so far served close to 100,000 customers. Duke Energy, one of the largest energy holding companies in the United States, serves nearly 7.5 million customers in six states in the Midwest and Southeast, including North Carolina.ፓ