Callahan, CT House and Senate Republicans Offer Ideas to Provide Consumers Relief on Electric Bills
(Watch the press conference here: https://ct-n.com/ctnplayer.asp?odID=24133.)
Hartford, CT. — As Connecticut residents are opening up their January electricity bills, Connecticut Republicans today unveiled a detailed six-point plan to bring about stability and relief for consumers.
“We’ve outlined a plan for both short-term and long-term relief from high energy costs. We sounded the alarm about this last February before residents and businesses were hit with huge spikes in their bills, offering solutions then and we were ignored,” said Rep. Patrick Callahan (R-New Fairfield), Environment Committee Ranking Member. “Residents and businesses were hit in the wallet again over the summer because of the push for EVs. Eversource and UI were allowed by PURA to recover millions of dollars spent on the EV rebate program more quickly through annual rate adjustments– aka higher rates on consumers– for the first time.”
“It’s time for majority party Democrats who control the energy agenda to acknowledge what utility ratepayers and analysts have made clear: their entire approach to energy policy, rooted in flawed priorities and misguided philosophy, has failed everyone,” House Republican Leader Vincent Candelora said. “This session is an opportunity to shift toward affordability, and unfortunately their recent news conference made it clear they’re out of ideas. We urge Democrats to adopt our proposals as the foundation for the action residents want and deserve.”
Connecticut Republicans held a news conference Wednesday, January 22, 2025 at the Legislative Office Building, where they put forward proposals to provide rate relief to customers who for years have been frustrated by costly bills that they say are squeezing their personal finances.
The Republicans’ plan would:
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 any
electricity generated from a hydropower or nuclear power generating facility
4) separate PURA from DEEP
5) eliminate any incentive program that increases electric demand, including, any electric vehicle rebate program
6) study ways to increase the supply of natural gas
The General Assembly session adjourns on June 4th.
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