Buckbee, Republicans Put Forth Plan on Energy

Hartford – On Wednesday morning, House and Senate Republicans held a news conference to present their proposals for addressing Connecticut’s rising energy costs. State Rep. Billy Buckbee (R-New Milford), who has been advocating for change for over a year, joined the conference. He also shared his own proposals on how to combat the growing crisis that has affected residents and businesses across New Milford.

“I’ve proposed auditing the ‘Public Benefits’ charge on electric bills,” Buckbee explained. “I’ve been in contact with one of the state’s largest electricity suppliers, and this charge includes 58 different components—many of which have nothing to do with the Millstone agreement, which has received considerable attention. We need to comprehensively review all these charges to determine if they are necessary and what adjustments should be made.”

Buckbee, a long-time member of the Energy & Technology Committee, pointed out that some of the programs associated with these charges have been in place for nearly 20 years. The charge covers various costs, including those for the Zero-Emission Renewable Energy Credit Program and the Solar Home Renewable Energy Certificate Program, both required by state law. It also funds the Connecticut Green Bank’s Clean Energy Fund, which provides incentives for homeowners to improve energy efficiency—regardless of whether customers use the program.

Buckbee also proposed allowing state energy suppliers to purchase renewable energy credits from out-of-state providers, increasing competition in procurement and ultimately driving down costs. “Healthy economic competition is a mechanism to bring down costs right now! Should this legislation move forward, customers would not have to wait years to see a reduction in their utility bills. Immediate relief is what ratepayers deserve,” said Buckbee.

The Republican plan would also include the following measures:

1. Remove Public Benefits Charges from electric bills
2. Prohibit agreements that buy electricity at 150% above the wholesale price
3. Redefine “Class I renewable energy source” to include electricity generated from hydropower or nuclear power facilities
4. Separate the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) from the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP)
5. Eliminate any incentive programs that increase electric demand, such as electric vehicle rebate programs
6. Study ways to increase the supply of natural gas

These proposals are part of the Republicans’ broader strategy to help reduce energy costs for Connecticut residents and businesses.

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