CL&P Hosts Social Agency Forums on Energy

Every year, nearly 600 social services providers from organizations across Connecticut attend one of a series of Social Agency Forums on Energy sponsored by CL&P and Yankee Gas. The Forums are part of the utility companies' mission to enrich Connecticut communities through innovative programs and services, and partnerships with community leaders, educators and service providers. Since 1985, these Forums have provided attendees with up-to-date information about utility payment plans and energy services and assistance available to limited and fixed income Connecticut residents.

Speakers from Operation Fuel and the Connecticut Department of Social Services share important information about energy assistance with representatives from other social services agencies, hospitals, legal aid services and Head Start programs.

CL&P and Yankee Gas provide updated information about their Matching Payment Programs (MPP), which give qualifying customers the opportunity to reduce or eliminate past-due balances. MPP customers agree to pay a budgeted monthly payment they can afford, and the utility company matches that payment —in the form of a credit against past due balances — up to a zero balance. Customers enrolled in the MPP are encouraged to attend free programs on budgeting and energy conservation offered by CL&P and Yankee Gas, and may also sign up for the Weatheriztion Residential Assistance Partnership (WRAP), which provides free weatherization services such as caulking, weather-stripping and installation of energy efficient lighting fixtures.

The Forums give utility companies' and social service agencies' staffs an opportunity to come together and strengthen relationships in order to better serve the populations supported through these critical services.

In addition to valuable information about energy assistance, participants walk away with reference materials on all types of assistance programs available across Connecticut – tools they rely upon to best serve all of their clients' needs.