Conservation audits in hot water

Journal Article · Tue Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1981 · Power Line; (United States)

OSTI ID:5713191

Morgan, R E

The Residential Conservation Service (RCS) law requiring utilities to offer low-cost energy audits is under attack by utilities and the administration. The experiment in Massachusetts illustrates how utilities responded to the National Energy Conservation Policy Act mandate with costly and inefficient programs that had little citizen input and tended to miss low-income customers. Critics of the RCS as it has evolved fault the utilities for giving conservation a low priority, for technological overkill, and for using the program as a public relations vehicle. Conservationists disagree on the value of utility-subsidized auditing and financing program, however, because Seattle, Rochester, and other cities have been successful. Proposed RCS reforms in New York list five steps for improvement. (DCK)

• OSTI ID: 5713191
• Journal Information: Power Line; (United States), Journal Name: Power Line; (United States) Vol. 7:2; ISSN POLID
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
320101* -- Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization-- Residential Buildings-- (-1987)
320603 -- Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization-- Municipalities & Community Systems-- Public Utilities-- (1980-)
AUDITS
ELECTRIC UTILITIES
ENERGY AUDITS
ENERGY CONSERVATION
FINANCIAL INCENTIVES
PERFORMANCE
PUBLIC RELATIONS
PUBLIC UTILITIES
RESIDENTIAL SECTOR
SUBSIDIES