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Resident urges council to use ARPA and weatherization to mitigate CenterPoint rate increases
Summary
A resident urged the council to use federal ARPA funds and local weatherization programs to mitigate upcoming CenterPoint energy rate increases and to support community solar and low-income solar funding efforts tied to the Inflation Reduction Act.
During miscellaneous business on Feb. 10, resident Christopher Nori urged the council to prioritize weatherization programs and consider reallocating ARPA funds to help residents facing an impending rate increase from CenterPoint Energy.
Nori said CenterPoint received a rate increase and that approximately 22% of Evansville households are on an older electric-heating rate that could see higher monthly bills, and he urged council support for organizations that provide weatherization and repairs. “The only tool that we have right now is to mitigate what this is going to do to this community,” Nori said, urging support for Cape, WorkOne and contractors that perform weatherization.
He also urged the council to track federal funds from the Inflation Reduction Act that could support solar installation for low-income housing and community solar projects, and warned that access to those funds has been inconsistent. Council members engaged briefly and asked Nori follow-up questions about net metering, community solar legislation and average residential usage figures he referenced.
