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Connecticut's 1st Annual Electric Car Community Days Will Take Place Friday and Saturday, June 1-2, 2012


Plugged in car (select to view enlarged photo)

HARTFORD, CT--May 29, 2012: Electric utility companies in the state, along with the Clean Cities Coalitions of Connecticut and local co-hosts, will present "Electric Car Community Days" on Friday and Saturday, June 1 and 2, 2012. The public is invited to visit any of five locations to learn about new models of plug-in electric vehicles (EVs), battery charging equipment and more. On Friday, June 1, events take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Berlin, Fairfield, New Haven and Stamford. On Saturday, June 2, events will be held in Norwich and again in Fairfield. Pfizer Inc. is holding an employee-only event Friday at its Groton facilities. A detailed schedule of event locations and exact times is online at www.CTJunEcar.org.

“This event brings people together where they can learn more about the technology, including charging at night when greater grid capacity is available.”

"Connecticut is taking important steps to ensure sustainability of our environment and energy resources. Electric Car Community Days offer an opportunity for residents and businesses to explore yet another way to reduce their carbon footprint," said Commissioner Daniel C. Esty of the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. "We can all benefit from a cleaner, lower-cost and locally available fuel alternative, as plug-in EVs grow in popularity here and throughout the region," he said.

Connecticut's first annual Electric Car Community Days are presented by Connecticut Light & Power and parent Northeast Utilities (NU), United Illuminating (UI), and the Connecticut Municipal Electric Energy Cooperative (CMEEC) with Groton Utilities and Norwich Public Utilities. Local events are being co-hosted respectively by Sustainable Stamford, the City of New Haven with Yale University, the Town of Fairfield, Pfizer and the City of Norwich.

"When customers fuel their cars by plugging in to the region's electric system, they're displacing high-emission petroleum oil and gasoline with energy that's among the cleanest in the nation," said James B. Robb, Northeast Utilities senior vice president of strategic planning and environmental affairs. "New England's power supply comes from an abundance of clean, domestically produced natural gas, and renewable energy sources are on the upswing here. Plug-in cars let drivers take advantage of cleaner, lower cost fuel and we invite the public to find out how at Electric Car Community Days."

"Community involvement and consumer education are important for the electric vehicle market to grow in Connecticut. Towns, companies, and utilities have been working together to install charging stations in public areas for consumers who are buying the five different models of plug-in EVs now available in the state," said Anthony Marone, United Illuminating's vice president of business services. "This event brings people together where they can learn more about the technology, including charging at night when greater grid capacity is available."

According to CMEEC CEO Drew Rankin, each event venue will feature a mix of plug-in cars available from area dealerships, charging stations from equipment manufacturers, basic information about EV technologies, and local displays promoting sustainability. "CMEEC is excited to be a part of Electric Car Community Days and we encourage everyone to stop by Stamford, Fairfield, New Haven, or Berlin on Friday; and on Saturday bring your family to Fairfield or Norwich, where our display will be at the Chamber of Commerce's River Fest," Rankin suggests.

ALL FREE EVENTS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC:

Berlin Friday, June 1 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Northeast Utilities, 107 Selden St.
Fairfield Friday & Saturday, June 1-2 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sherman Green lot, near Gazebo
New Haven Friday, June 1 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Broadway and Elm Intersection, near Yale Bookstore
Norwich Saturday, June 2 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. River Fest at Howard T. Brown Park, Chelsea Harbor Drive
Stamford Friday, June 1 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Government Center, 888 Washington Blvd.

Rain or shine. Check CT June E Car for latest updates.

Visit www.CTJunEcar.org for exact times, locations, travel directions, local contacts and more. To Tweet about the event, please use #CTJunEcar.

About REVI members and Clean Cities

The Connecticut Light and Power Company (CL&P) has been part of everyday life in Connecticut for more than 100 years, providing safe and reliable electric service to homes, neighborhoods and businesses. With 1.2 million customers in 149 cities and towns, CL&P is improving the environments you live in, by offering programs in energy conservation, economic development and environmental stewardship. CL&P is a Northeast Utilities company . For more information, please visit www.cl-p.com, like us on Facebook at facebook.com/CTLightandPower and follow us on Twitter @CTLightandPower.

UIL Holdings Corporation is a diversified energy delivery company serving a total of approximately 700,000 electric and natural gas utility customers in 66 communities across two states, with combined total assets of over $4 billion. UIL Holdings is the parent company of The United Illuminating Company (UI), Connecticut Natural Gas Corporation (CNG), The Southern Connecticut Gas Company (SCG), and The Berkshire Gas Company, each more than 100 years old. UI provides for the transmission and delivery of electricity and other energy related services for Connecticut's Greater New Haven and Bridgeport areas. SCG and CNG are natural gas distribution companies that serve customers in Connecticut, while BGCs serves natural gas customers in western Massachusetts. UIL Holdings employs more than 1,800 people in the New England region. For more information, find us online at www.uinet.com, visit the UIL Holdings Corporation page on Facebook (click "like"), and follow us on Twitter @UILHoldings.

The Connecticut Municipal Electric Energy Cooperative (CMEEC) is a publicly directed joint action supply agency formed by the state's municipal electric utilities in 1976 under authority of the state's General Statutes. CMEEC is owned by the municipal utilities in the cities of Groton and Norwich, the Borough of Jewett City, and the Second (South Norwalk) and Third (East Norwalk) Taxing Districts of the City of Norwalk, Connecticut. CMEEC also provides all the power required by other utilities participating in CMEEC including the Town of Wallingford Department of Public Utilities, the Bozrah Light and Power Company, and the Mohegan Tribal Utility Authority. For more information, visit www.cmeec.com.

Clean Cities is a government-industry initiative to reduce petroleum use in transportation. Clean Cities is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Vehicle Technologies Program. Since 1993, Clean Cities coalitions and stakeholders have displaced nearly 3 billion gallons of petroleum. For more information and links to Connecticut's coalitions, visit ADFC Clean Cities Coalitons

The Regional Electric Vehicle Initiative (REVI) was established in 2009 to encourage collaboration among entities interested in advancing electric transportation in the northeast U.S. Founding members are National Grid, Northeast Utilities, NSTAR, The United Illuminating Company, Connecticut Municipal Electric Energy Cooperative, and Massachusetts Municipal Wholesale Electric Company. REVI utilities are preparing the electric system to support plug-in vehicles and participating in policy planning and stakeholder dialogue. To find out more, visit REVI.