Partnership Powers Solutions
When winter temperatures arrive, a reliable heating system isn’t just about comfort—it’s about safety. For Debbi, a series of heating challenges over the course of a year threatened her ability to stay warm at home. Thanks to the collaboration between Generation Power CT’s Gas Assistance Program (GAP), Neighborhood Housing Services of New Haven’s (NHS) Home Energy ConneCT, and trusted contractor partners, she was able to face the winter with confidence.
The work began in April 2025 with a Home Energy Solutions–Income Eligible (HES-IE) assessment. Although the assessment found Debbi’s home already well insulated, she said her home remained unusually cold during the winter months. Contractors sealed air leaks beneath sinks, repaired a large opening in the hallway, and weatherstripped the front door to improve the home’s energy efficiency.
Despite the improvements, one significant concern remained: Debbi’s more than 20-year-old gas boiler. The HES-IE assessment recommended replacing the aging heating system. Unfortunately, while the program could provide energy assessments and efficiency upgrades, it could not pay for repairing the heating system.
In August 2025, Debbi’s heating system stopped working entirely. That’s when Generation Power CT’s Gas Assistance Program stepped in.
Using the program’s flexible funding, contractors repaired the malfunctioning boiler in September 2025, restoring heat without requiring the significant expense of replacing the entire system. Instead of facing winter without reliable heat or trying to afford a costly replacement, Debbi was able to remain safely in her home with a working heating system.
When another issue surfaced in December, Debbi sought assistance through another community action agency, but the repairs she needed fell outside the available resources. Once again, GAP stepped in. Contractors returned to diagnose the issue and found that while the heating systems serving the second and third floors were functioning properly, the first-floor heating required repairs. Those repairs restored heat where it was needed most.
Debbi’s experience highlights why programs like GAP are so valuable. While Connecticut offers a variety of energy efficiency and weatherization programs, homeowners can still encounter challenges that don’t fit neatly within existing funding guidelines. GAP provides the flexibility to address those gaps—whether that’s repairing a heating system, resolving barriers that prevent energy upgrades, or helping homeowners remain safe and comfortable throughout the winter.
For Debbi, that flexibility meant more than a repaired heating system. It meant remaining safe and comfortable in her home with secure access to heat—GPCT’s mission in action.
A History of the Gas Assistance Program (GAP)
Generation Power CT’s mission is to lead the way so current and future generations have access to heat, power and water.
The Gas Assistance Program (GAP) was launched by GPCT in 2025 to help fill critical gaps in Connecticut’s existing home energy assistance programs. Funded through penalties assessed by the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) against regulated utility and energy companies, GAP provides flexible funding that can be used when traditional programs cannot.
Many energy efficiency programs have strict guidelines about what they can and cannot cover. As a result, homeowners are often left with unresolved issues such as heating system repairs or other barriers that prevent them from improving their home’s comfort, safety, and efficiency.
GAP was designed to bridge those gaps. By partnering with organizations like Neighborhood Housing Services (NHS), and local contractors, the program helps reduce energy costs while making homes safer, healthier, and more comfortable. Its flexible approach allows Generation Power CT to respond to each home’s unique needs, ensuring that a single uncovered repair doesn’t prevent a family from staying warm. Learn more by visiting gpct.org/gap.