20160722AVU to Staff 87.doc

AVISTA CORPORATION
RESPONSE TO REQUEST FOR INFORMATION

JURISDICTION: IDAHO DATE PREPARED: 07/19/2016
CASE NO: AVU-E-16-03 WITNESS: Heather Rosentrater
REQUESTER: IPUC RESPONDER: Linda Gervais
TYPE: Production Request DEPARTMENT: State & Federal Regulation
REQUEST NO.: Staff - 087 TELEPHONE: [phone]

REQUEST:

How many workshops/events were held in Idaho by CAP using the Conservation Education Grant funding in Program Years 2013, 2014 and 2015? How was attendance determined? Please provide a brief description of each workshop/event.

RESPONSE:

Workshop/Activity 2013 2014 2015 Customers reached while receiving energy assistance 11,575 15,243 5,840 Workshops/Fairs conducted 18 16 12 Customers reached through workshops and fairs 1,413 2,085 569 Customers reached through 1 to 1 education 17 141 53

Attendance is determined by various methods, customers receiving energy assistance is based on the number of customers who received grants and the process of including Conservation Education (ConEd) as part of the intake work. Events and locations for workshops and fairs are selected based on the increased probability that they will provide access to low-income and/or senior populations. Workshops and fairs are either a count of attendees or determined by number of materials distributed.

The objectives of the CAP low income consumer energy ConEd program are threefold:
• to increase the number of low-income individuals with ConEd knowledge
• to build capacity for ConEd in local communities
• to decrease energy consumption

This is achieved through three different strategies:
• Low impact strategies serve the greatest possible number of individuals and tend to produce the least amount of lasting behavioral change. With these strategies, typically the only numbers tracked are “number served.” The low impact strategies portion of CAP’s ConEd program includes the distribution of print materials and deliverable items to energy assistance (EA) clients. Another strategy is to send letters to Avista customers with high energy use that includes energy saving tips for reducing their consumption.
• Medium impact strategies center on communication and awareness strategies rather than clients’ behavioral change. This includes participation at fairs and facilitation of workshops.
• High impact strategies provide the greatest opportunity for lasting behavioral change and serve the fewest number of individuals. This strategy includes accompanying weatherization staff to households and conducting one-on-one education with the resident.

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