Households in the Norton Sound region will again receive $575 toward their electric utility bills
UNALAKLEET—The Norton Sound Economic Development Corporation (NSEDC) Board of Directors voted at their December meeting to issue a $575 energy subsidy to every household in its 15 member communities. NSEDC staff will begin the sign-up process the week of January 18th, with sign-up events taking place in each of the 15 member communities through the 1st week in February. NSEDC Board Chair Oscar Takak, Sr. encouraged passing the motion to issue the subsidy and is pleased the process will begin soon. “I have seen that the energy subsidy helps every household in the region,” Takak said after the meeting. “For individuals and families in the Norton Sound region, energy costs remain to be the largest expense. I am proud to be part of a board and organization that has the stability to provide meaningful financial assistance to our 15 member communities.”
Previous $500 energy subsidies were issued by the NSEDC Board of Directors in 2008, 2012 and 2014. In 2015, the NSEDC Board bumped the energy subsidy to $575 per household, paying nearly $1.5 million to local electric utilities on behalf of residents. The subsidies issued over the four years have saved households in NSEDC’s 15 member communities a total of $5.3 million. With roughly 2,700 households in the region, NSEDC is expected to infuse more than $1.5 million toward household utility expenses in the coming months. Those living off the electrical grid will be given the opportunity for a $575 heating fuel credit to the fuel vendor in their community. As in the past, the 2016 initiative is an isolated contribution and the energy subsidy is not a continuing program. “Residents from throughout the region have expressed deep appreciation for past energy subsidies,” board member Patrick Johanson said. “The $575 will come at a time when residents are paying the most for energy costs. It helps us all to start the new year on a more positive note.”
The NSEDC Community Benefits department staff will issue the 2016 electric utility subsidy as they have in the past, and households will sign up directly with NSEDC and see their savings in their monthly electric utility bills. NSEDC staff will begin facilitating the sign-up process next week, with a goal to have all payments completed by March. Flyers will be posted in every community, informing residents of the sign-up date and location.
For more information on the issuance of NSEDC’s 2016 Energy Subsidy, contact Community Benefits Director Paul Ivanoff III in Unalakleet at (800) 385-3190 or pivanoff@nsedc.com.
# # #
