Earth Day: Independent study names Peoples Gas Environmental Champion and Midwest's top-performing natural gas utility
CHICAGO, April 22, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- For the second straight year, Peoples Gas has been named an Environmental Champion. The recognition was announced on Earth Day by the independent analytics firm Escalent. Peoples Gas is one of just 31 U.S. utilities to be named a 2021 Environmental Champion.
The recognition is based on data that Escalent collected from the customers of America's 140 largest utilities and compiled to create an Environmental Dedication Index. The Index score earned by Peoples Gas was No. 1 among all natural gas utilities in the Midwest.
A key driver of environmental sustainability at Peoples Gas is the company's System Modernization Program, a Chicago-wide effort to replace antiquated, corroding natural gas pipes – many from the 1800s. New pipes and equipment being installed prevent leaks of methane, a greenhouse gas, into the environment. The result: From 2017 to 2019, methane emissions were reduced by 697 metric tons. In terms of environmental impact, that is the equivalent of taking 3,792 gasoline-consuming cars off the road. This emission reduction data was reported to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as part of the EPA's Methane Challenge Program.
About the Earth Day recognition, Charles Matthews, president and CEO – Peoples Gas said, "We are very proud to be named an Environmental Champion for the second year in a row. Peoples Gas is committed to environmental sustainability. We will continue our work and innovation to deliver natural gas to Chicagoans in a way that protects our planet."
Chris Oberle, senior vice president at Escalent, said: "The leading performance by Peoples Gas was hallmarked by supporting environmental causes and proactively seeking ways to limit the environmental impact of their operations."
Peoples Gas also has a customer-centric Energy Efficiency program that benefits both the environment and families' budgets. The program includes incentives through which customers can earn rebates on energy-saving projects, and receive free installation of energy efficient products.
Since its creation, the Energy Efficiency program has removed greenhouse gases that are equivalent to the amount created by 98,000 cars. Looked at another way, the program has removed carbon dioxide from the environment as effectively as 550,000 acres of forest. More information about the Peoples Gas Energy Efficiency program can be found at peoplesgasrebates.com.
Peoples Gas, a subsidiary of WEC Energy Group (NYSE: WEC), is a regulated natural gas delivery company that serves more than 878,000 residential, commercial and industrial customers in the city of Chicago. You can find more information about natural gas safety, energy efficiency and other energy-related topics at peoplesgasdelivery.com. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook @peoplegaschi.
SOURCE Peoples Gas
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