MILFORD — A city woman was shocked to hear that switching to a clean source of electricity for her home would cost $300 a month.
Tessa Marquis, of Point Beach Drive, almost threw away a notice that came with her United Illuminating bill, until she gave the flier a second look. The switch would actually only cost about $3 a month.
"I thought it was a great program, but I was very confused by the flier," she said, adding that others who are also mathematically challenged have expressed similar concerns. "They should have explained the costs in simpler terms."
At the heart of the confusion is a flier distributed by the Connecticut Clean Energy Fund in April's electricity bills. The notice provides electricity customers statewide with the option of choosing a clean energy source for an additional "1.10 cents" per kilowatt hour. When computing the actual cost, however, customers must move the decimal point and multiply the amount of electricity they typically use by .0011.
Ann Berman, president of the Milford Environmental Concerns Coalition, said the confusion might have swayed people away from the clean energy program. She explained that through its "20 Percent by 2010" initiative, the Clean Energy Fund provides solar panels to the city for every 100 customers who sign on to the program. So far, only 40 city residents have chosen to use a clean energy source.
The initiative seeks to have 20 percent of electricity customers using clean energy sources by 2010.
"I'm sure there are more than 40 people in the city who could afford an extra few dollars a month," Berman said. "Think of it as a donation for clean air, clean energy and slowing the process of global warming. "This is something we need to do for future generations."
Bryan Garcia, director of energy market initiatives for the fund, said the solar panels produce about 2,000 kilowatts per year, equivalent to the amount of electricity used by an average home in four months.
"The more solar panel arrays a town receives, the more money they will save on electric bills, especially with the rising prices of electricity in southwestern Connecticut," Garcia said, adding that the flier will be examined and improved before it is sent out again with September's electric bills.
