HOUSTON, April 29 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Reliant Energy today announced plans for $600,000 worth of energy-efficiency improvements for approximately 300 residences in Houston's Acres Homes neighborhood, which has one of the lowest median per capita incomes in the city.
Reliant is making the improvements through a program it created in 2005 with Rebuilding Together Houston (RTH) that helps reduce energy usage by providing energy-efficiency upgrades for Reliant Energy customers. Rebuilding Together Houston is a nonprofit organization that provides home-repair services for low-income, elderly or disabled Houston-area homeowners.
The Reliant Energy contribution is an outgrowth of the company's involvement in the community and its focus on providing energy-assistance programs for low-income customers. In 2005, Reliant Energy committed $100,000 to RTH for a similar citywide project.
"One of our core values at Reliant Energy is caring for communities," said Tracy Carmen-Jones, vice president of Reliant Energy Community Marketing. "We know that home energy efficiency is key to helping customers reduce energy bills, and that will become more and more important as summer approaches."
To qualify, Acres Homes residents must: 1) be Reliant Energy customers; 2) live in Acres Homes ZIP codes of 77088 and 77091; 3) be a past-participant in the LITE-UP Texas low-income electricity assistance program; and 4) comply with program requirements outlined by RTH. Qualified homeowners can receive improvements such as:
1) an energy-efficient refrigerator;
2) a window air-conditioning unit;
3) attic insulation;
4) door and/or window replacements.
The home improvements are designed to drive better home energy-efficiency and help lower customers' electricity bills. According to data from Houston Hope, an organization focused on improving low-income neighborhoods, median per-capita income in Acres Homes is less than $11,000 -- or about a third of U.S. per capita income.
Once a homeowner submits an application and it is approved, Rebuilding Together Houston will conduct an on-site assessment of the home to determine need. Plans call for improvements to be completed for 100 homes by July 1, with up to 300 complete by year's end.
"The Acres Homes community is improving dramatically," said Bob Conklin, executive director of Rebuilding Together Houston. "With the volunteer initiative of individuals working in home-repair crews, homes are being restored and the lives of those that own them are being enriched with greater hope."
Reliant Energy, Inc. based in Houston provides electricity and energy services to retail and wholesale customers in the United States. In Texas, the company provides service to approximately 1.9 million retail electricity customers, including residential and small business customers and large commercial, industrial, governmental and institutional customers. Reliant also serves commercial, industrial, governmental and institutional customers in the PJM (Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Maryland) market.
The company is one of the largest independent power producers in the nation with approximately 16,000 megawatts of power generation capacity across the United States. These strategically located generating assets utilize natural gas, fuel oil and coal. For more information, visit http://www.reliant.com/corporate .
