Southington Schools Awarded Public Utilities Grant

SOUTHINGTON, CT — The Connecticut Public Utilities Regulatory Authority Thursday awarded more than $2.6 million in grants to fund education and technology initiatives and to promote and improve public, educational and governmental programming across the state and Southington was included.

PURA on Wednesday issued a final decision (Docket No. 21-10-13) that awarded grants to
97 recipients as part of the Public Educational and Governmental Programming and
Educational Technology Investment Account (PEGPETIA). Recipients, receiving grants
ranging from about $3,800 up to $44,000, include towns, cities, municipal and regional
school districts, and public access studios, among others.

The Southington public school system maxed out at $44,000.

In total, the Authority received 99 requests for PEGPETIA funds during a three-month
application window ending Jan. 31, 2022. The amount requested from all applicants
totaled over $10 million, vastly exceeding the available funds and representing growing
interest in the program.

"Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, our schools, municipalities and other community
organizations continued to serve the public, including through the provision of public,
educational and governmental programming that kept us all informed and connected
during the unprecedented public health crisis," PURA Chairman Marissa P.
Gillett said. "PURA is pleased to award these PEGPETIA grants totaling $2.6 million to
support the continued development and enrichment of the state’s public programming
and education technology initiatives."

In 2007, the General Assembly established the PEGPETIA program through Public Act
07-253. Under Conn. Gen. Stat. § 16-331, the Authority was directed to establish
eligibility requirements and procedures for applying for PEGPETIA funds. A full list of
program goals, eligibility requirements, applicants and recipients can be found in the
final decision.