Connecticut General Statutes Title 16A. Planning and Energy Policy § 16a-46j. Energy efficiency fuel oil furnace and boiler replacement, upgrade and repair program

(a) On or after October 27, 2011, and upon the allocation of the proceeds of the bonds authorized by section 49 of public act 11-1 of the October special session,  1 the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection shall establish an energy efficiency fuel oil furnace and boiler replacement, upgrade and repair program to provide replacement furnaces and boilers, and repairs and upgrades to existing furnaces or boilers to meet the standards for replacement units specified in this subsection, to (1) nonprofit organizations that own their own buildings, and (2) housing authorities for use in dwelling units owned by such housing authorities. The Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection shall provide for the purchase and installation of energy efficient oil furnaces and boilers or upgrades or repairs to existing furnaces and boilers, as appropriate. Such replacement energy efficient oil furnaces or boilers shall be equipped with electronically commutated blower motors and have an efficiency rating of not less than eighty-six per cent. Such energy efficient oil furnaces and boilers shall be equipped with thermal purge or temperature reset controls and have an efficiency rating of not less than eighty-six per cent. If upgrades or repairs are possible in a manner that will achieve an efficiency rating of seventy-five per cent or more, units shall be upgraded or repaired rather than replaced.

(b) On or before December 1, 2011, the Connecticut Housing Finance Authority shall provide the Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection a list of housing authorities in the state that own dwelling units that are heated with a fuel oil furnace or boiler.

(d) The Connecticut Energy Conservation Management Board, shall (1) establish criteria for determining (A) the condition of a nonprofit organization's oil furnace or boiler and fuel oil tank, or the condition of an oil furnace or boiler and fuel oil tank in a dwelling unit owned by a housing authority, and (B) whether such furnace, boiler or tank is inoperable or unsafe, or whether such furnace or boiler has an efficiency rating of less than sixty-five per cent, and (2) if the unsafe or inoperability circumstances of an oil furnace or boiler involve oil tank replacement, determine on the basis of a five-year payback whether it would be more cost effective for such applicant to connect to a natural gas pipeline, if available. If it is determined that it is not cost effective for such applicant to connect to a natural gas pipeline, or if no pipeline is available, the board may elect to replace the applicant's oil tank. When the board elects to replace an oil furnace or boiler with a gas furnace or boiler, such gas furnace shall have not less than a ninety-five per cent annual fuel utilization efficiency and such gas boiler shall have not less than a ninety per cent annual fuel utilization efficiency.

(e) The commissioner shall issue a request for proposals for the anticipated furnaces, boilers and equipment needed to meet the obligations of the program established under this section.