Gyeonggi Province Supports Air Conditioner Installation for Low-Income Elderly Living Alone in Preparation for Heat Wave...Supporting 790 Households
[Suwon Ilbo=Park No-hun Reporter] Gyeonggi Province will support air conditioner installation at 790 low-income elderly households living alone in the province as part of this year's heat wave countermeasures.
The 'Energy Welfare Support Project in Preparation for Heat Waves' is a project jointly promoted by Gyeonggi Province and 23 cities and counties. It will support the installation of cooling devices (air conditioners) for elderly households living alone from basic living allowance or near-poverty tier groups, which are relatively more vulnerable to heat-related illnesses among energy-disadvantaged groups in the province, with an investment of approximately 630 million won.
Air conditioner installation is targeted to begin in Icheon City on the 10th and be completed by July 31st. Seven cities including Namyangju, Paju, Gwangju, Yangju, Icheon, Yeoju, and Gwacheon, where application volumes have not yet been finalized, are still accepting applications.
Residents of the seven cities where applications are still available can receive guidance through the Gyeonggi Environment and Energy Promotion Agency's Living Environment Project Team (031-985-0769) or the nearest eup, myeon, or dong Administrative Welfare Center.
The province is not only supporting air conditioner installation but will also conduct free electrical safety inspections to ensure safe use of air conditioners and electrical facilities.
The inspections will be conducted in the first half of next year, approximately one year after air conditioner installation, in cooperation with the Korea Electrical Safety Corporation and the Korea Association of Electrical Engineers.
This year, electrical safety inspections have been conducted since last month targeting 829 households that had air conditioners installed last year.
Choi Hye-min, Director of Climate and Energy Policy at Gyeonggi Province, said, "For seniors vulnerable to heat-related illnesses, air conditioners are essential items to overcome hot summers," and added, "The province will continue to develop various support measures to eliminate blind spots in welfare for energy-disadvantaged groups."