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. (NYSE: RRI) 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 .
SOURCE Reliant Energy, Inc.
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Related links:
http://www.reliant.com/corporate
CONTACT:
Darryl Ewing, cell, +1-713-483-4719, or Pat
Hammond, cell, +1-713-503-5371, both of Reliant Energy, Inc.
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