(ARLINGTON, VA.) — The National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) is calling on the U.S. House of Representatives to pass S. 535, the “Energy Efficient Improvement Act of 2015,” scheduled for a vote on Tuesday, April 21. This long-awaited bill, which passed unanimously in the Senate, is critical to more than 250 co-ops that use large-capacity electric resistance water heaters (ERWH) for demand-response programs. Collectively, the co-op programs can reduce demand by an estimated 500 megawatts saving consumers hundreds of millions of dollars.
NRECA CEO Jo Ann Emerson made the following appeal:
“We deeply appreciate the House placing this important energy efficiency legislation on the calendar for next week and urge all members to support it. More than 250 co-ops in 35 states utilize large-capacity electric resistance water heaters to reduce demand by an estimated 500 megawatts and save consumers hundreds of millions of dollars.”
The National Rural Electric Cooperative Association is the national service organization that represents the nation’s more than 900 private, not-for-profit, consumer-owned electric cooperatives, which provide service to 42 million people in 47 states.