The company was approved to continue four existing programs and implement a new Social Marketing and Education Program through August 31, 2017, with investments totaling $36.3 million that are incremental to the company`s Conservation Incentive Program offerings.

            "Our energy efficiency strategies fall directly in line with the goals of New Jersey`s Energy Master Plan and we continue to work in concert with available offers provided through the New Jersey Clean Energy Program to help our customers increase their comfort and save money," said Jeffrey E. DuBois, president of SJG.  "With the continuation of these programs, SJG`s residential, commercial and industrial customers will have access to a broad range of incentives to help them lower their energy bills.   Furthermore, with the addition of a Social Marketing and Education Program, participating residential customers will have easy access to information that enables them to make informed decisions regarding their energy usage and conservation efforts," added DuBois.

The programs are structured as follows:

• Residential Home Performance and Finance Energy Efficiency Program - This program is designed to motivate customers to take advantage of New Jersey`s Home Performance with Energy Star® program by providing significant financing offers - up to $10,000 as a 7-year loan at zero percent interest with no money down, or up to $15,000 as a 10-year loan at 4.99 percent interest - to assist in obtaining whole house energy efficiency, comfort and savings. To receive financing, customers must work through an accredited Home Performance with Energy Star® company.
• Enhanced Residential HVAC Rebate Program - This program is designed to motivate customers with existing HVAC systems in need of immediate replacement, to install qualifying high efficiency heating and water heating equipment.  SJG will offer grants of $500 or financing up to $6,500 at zero percent interest for a 5-year term to eligible customers after completion of a Home Performance with Energy Star® Home Energy Assessment, provided by an accredited home energy auditor.
• Non-Residential Energy Efficiency Investment Program - This program is designed to generate large energy savings for commercial and industrial customers by offering financing of up to $100,000 at zero percent interest for a 5-year term, to qualified customers who are eligible for financing offers through the New Jersey Clean Energy Program`s Smart Start, Pay for Performance, and Custom Measures programs.
• Commercial Customer Direct Install Financing Program - This program is designed to encourage NJCEP Direct Install program participation by financing the difference between the project cost and the NJCEP Direct Install incentive, which covers 70 percent of the project cost or a maximum of $125,000. SJG offers financing of up to 30 percent of the project cost, up to a maximum of $53,571, with no money down at zero percent interest for a 3-year term. 
• Social Marketing and Education Program - This new program focuses on marketing and education designed to encourage residential customers to reduce their energy consumption, and their environmental footprint, by comparing them to other similar homeowners through customized energy reports. The program will target a community of approximately 170,000 residential customers based on their energy usage.

While the cost of providing these energy efficiency programs is expected to result in an increase of $0.45, or 0.3 percent, on an average residential customer`s 100-therm monthly heating bill, that would be more than offset by another filing currently pending at the BPU. In June, SJG filed a request to reduce its Basic Gas Supply Service (BGSS) and Conservation Incentive Program (CIP) rates by $15.27, or 11.2 percent, to pass on to customers the benefits of decreases in gas commodity costs and the savings associated with their conservation efforts.

Since 2009, South Jersey Gas has assisted nearly 11,000 customers with energy efficiency upgrades, with customers receiving $37 million in grants, rebates and no interest loans to increase their energy efficiency.

            For more information or to take part in any of these programs, please dial 1-800-648-0138. To learn more about South Jersey Gas, visit www.southjerseygas.com.

ABOUT SOUTH JERSEY INDUSTRIES
South Jersey Industries (SJI), an energy services holding company based in Folsom, NJ, operates its business through two primary subsidiaries. South Jersey Gas, one of the nation`s fastest growing natural gas utilities, delivers clean, efficient natural gas and promotes energy efficiency to more than 369,000 customers in southern New Jersey. SJI`s non-regulated businesses, under South Jersey Energy Solutions, promote efficiency, clean technology and renewable energy by developing, owning and operating on-site energy production facilities - including Combined Heat and Power, Solar, and District Heating and Cooling projects; acquiring and marketing natural gas and electricity for retail customers; providing wholesale commodity marketing and fuel supply management services; and offering HVAC and other energy-efficiency related services. For more information about SJI and its subsidiaries, visit http://www.sjindustries.com.