November 18, 2014

Help Is Available To Combat CL&P Rate Hikes

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Many of you joined with me and submitted testimony against the proposed electric rate hike. Thank you for your efforts in helping me fight this excessive proposal. However, our pleas for lower electricity costs were not successful. It was announced yesterday that the new proposed rate for CL&P’s Standard Service is scheduled to increase to 12.45 cents per kilowatt-hour from the current average of 9.96 cents effective Janurary 1st. With this being said, I want to make you aware of ways in which you can lower your bills. You have a choice in your electric supplier.

A list of suppliers and their rates can be found at http://www.energizect.com/compare-energy-suppliers.
Questions about picking a supplier can be found at http://www.energizect.com/compare-energy-suppliers/Suppliers-FAQ.
Tips for making the right choice can be found at http://www.energizect.com/compare-energy-suppliers/How-to-assess-suppliers.
You can also call 1-877-WISE-USE (877-947-3873) for assistance in picking a supplier.

Help is available to get your home energy efficient. The state’s Home Energy Solutions-Core Services (HES) program gives people an opportunity to get an “energy checkup” for their home. For $99, a local expert can come to your home to examine where you might be losing energy and where you are using more energy than needed. All residential customers of CL&P, UI, CNG, SCG and Yankee Gas are eligible for this program. Applications are available on your local electric or gas company’s website. For more information, click here or call 877-WISE-USE (877-947-3873). If your family’s combined gross annual income is below the state’s 60 percent income median, you may qualify for The Home Energy Solutions – Income-Eligible Program, which provides free services to qualified customers. This program involves the same home “checkup,” but does so at no cost to the consumer. To see if you qualify, click here. You now have a Bill of Rights. This spring, I voted in favor of the “Electric Supplier Consumers’ Bill of Rights”. That legislation, which is now state law, increases protections for residential consumers by requiring electricity suppliers to provide very clear and specific information about how much they are being charged for electricity. The law is a response to numerous consumers who suffered spiking electricity rates that caught them off-guard at prices two or three times what they had been paying previously. These new protections will help consumers and promote honest business practices across our state. No one should have to worry about deceptive marketing tactics concerning essential needs like electricity. I hope this information is helpful!