Low-Income Energy and Water Advisory Board (LIEWAB)
GPCT is a proud member of the Low-Income Energy and Water Advisory Board (LIEWAB). Participating in bi-monthly meetings has strengthened our ability to bring community voices directly into the rooms where decisions are made. Through detailed reports and client testimonies, we are helping policymakers understand the lived realities behind energy burden—stories that illuminate the challenges families face and opportunities for collaborative solutions.
National Energy & Utility Affordability Coalition (NEUAC)
The National Energy and Utility Affordability Coalition (NEUAC), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, is a broad-based coalition of diverse members dedicated to heightening awareness of the energy and utility affordability needs of vulnerable households, fostering public-private partnerships, and engaging in advocacy, education, and other activities to help address these needs. NEUAC’s vision is for all people to have access to the energy and utility resources they need to live in a safe and healthy way.
GPCT’s Role as a Member of the National Board
GPCT has been a member of NEUAC going back to our previous two Executive Directors. In 2011, our former Executive Director, Patricia Wrice received NEUAC’s Sister Pat Kelley Award for service to the energy sector. Our former Executive Director, Brenda Watson, served on the Board of Directors, participated in conferences, presented throughout the United States and engaged with utilities, community action agencies and fuel funds across the country. Today, our staff continues to serve as a member of NEUAC’s Advisory Board of the Board of Directors, participating in meetings and offering our insights providing emergency assistance. We are also part of the Public Policy & Advocacy Subcommittee, staying informed on national news and funding regarding the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP).
In partnership with Generation Power CT, Neighborhood Housing Services (NHS) of New Haven’s Home Energy ConneCT program launched an initiative to distribute funds sourced from fines to gas utility companies to assist “gas customers experiencing difficulties.” The Gas Assistance Program (GAP) delivers long-term energy and cost savings through energy efficiency upgrades and remediation of health and safety barriers that prevent home improvements. This program identifies eligible gas customers, collects required documentation, evaluates home compatibility for hybrid heat pump water heaters, and assesses for remediation needs. Participants are paired with vetted contractors to complete remediation and water heater installations at no cost to the customer.
The program aims to track impact pre/post utility data and use a Quality Install Report tool developed by PNNL to ensure high standards and accountability across installations. Following the program’s launch in March 2025, this presentation will share initial findings, including pre-project and post-project usage data, energy model forecasts, and total cost analysis for accessing other home energy program participation. In addition, participants and contractors will share their experiences, while Generation Power CT and NHS will share how this partnership leverages fine monies to reduce barriers for participants to access other home energy efficiency programs.
In partnership with Home Energy ConneCT, GPCT’s Chief Program Officer Brittany Bergstrom and Chief Policy & Public Affairs Officer Gannon Long presented on GAP to a national audience at the National Energy & Utility Affordability Coalition (NEUAC) conference in Seattle on May 20, 2026.
Operation Fuel staff took to the stage at the 2025 The National Energy and Utility Affordability Coalition (NEUAC) Annual Conference in Charlotte, NC to highlight collaborations within our emergency assistance programs and our community research efforts.
Chief Policy & Public Affairs Officer, Gannon Long, presented with Michelle Royce Williams of Connecticut Water Company. They dove into the power of partnership, highlighting how we’ve teamed up to support limited-income water customers across Connecticut.
Darlene Yule, Chief Operations Officer, Claire Lee, Community Research & Education Coordinator, and Dr. Annie Harper of Yale University presented findings and insights on Empowering Energy Justice and Resilience Through Community Engagement. The research highlights the importance of resident’s lived experiences and how their voices can lead to creating healthier, more equitable, and sustainable communities.
Each year, NEUAC hosts LIHEAP Action Day, where organizations from across the country advocate for the importance of funding the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program with policymakers on Capitol Hill in Washington D.C. In 2024, GPCT, then Operation Fuel, joined the CT Office of the Consumer Counsel and the CT Water Company in discussing this program with the Connecticut congressional delegation, who have all been steadfast champions of LIHEAP.
Join Us!
Join NEUAC today and make sure Congress understands the impact of programs like LIHEAP on reducing the energy burden for vulnerable American families. By joining NEUAC, your organization adds its voice to the growing membership of energy advocates nationwide.
For more information or to join online, visit https://neuac.org/membership/. Memberships run for a calendar year, and are tied to the organization, not the individual.
Advocacy & Public Engagement
Gannon Long, Chief Policy and Public Affairs Officer, testified before the Appropriations, Energy & Technology, and Human Services Committees to advocate for the LIHEAP Block Grant Allocation
“While GPCT does not administer CEAP directly, 37% of our 2025 clients qualified for CEAP…Increasingly, our data shows that thousands of our state’s most vulnerable families depend on Generation Power for vital services.” August 7, 2025
GPCT CEO, Perkin Simpson, speaks against proposed elimination of the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
CEO, Perkin Simpson, joined U.S. Senators Blumenthal and Murphy, and DSS Commissioner Barton Reeves at a Congressional News Briefing to speak out against the dangers of proposed federal cuts to the LIHEAP program.
May 16, 2025
I am a stage four cancer patient just hardly surviving on SSDI. Without [GPCT] I wouldn’t be able to heat my home for myself and teenage daughter. We’re so grateful. G.R. – A client from Windsor Locks