CT House and Senate Republicans Offer Ideas to Provide Ratepayers Relief on Electric Bills

Today, House and Senate Republicans unveiled a set of policy goals to provide Connecticut residents with long-term rate reduction, long-term stability, and short-term relief from ever-increasing energy costs.

Unfortunately, past decisions are coming back to harm ratepayers today, and the policy proposals presented today have the power to right the proverbial ship and provide immediate help to struggling ratepayers. Our plan proposes using federal ARPA funds to eliminate a substantial shortfall caused by the governor’s 4-year moratorium on electricity shutoffs and does not hold responsible ratepayers accountable for those who did not pay their bills.

We also propose limiting power purchase contracts to 100% over the wholesale cost of energy, and analyzing New England energy markets to find ways to lower consumer bills, and in an effort to truly provide regulatory independence and consumer-focused oversight, we propose separating the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) from the umbrella of the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP).

We are proposing to:

1. limitall future Power Purchase Agreements so that no contract can be for more than 100% over the wholesale electric market price
2. provide relief to ratepayers by using unspent ARPA money to pay down the portion of the proposed Revenue Adjustment Mechanism adjustment that is attributed to arrearages as a result of the shut off moratorium
3. redefine Class I renewable energy sources to includeall forms of hydropower and all nuclear power to lower the cost of these energy sources and bring relief for ratepayers
4. separate the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) and the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA)
5. study ways to increase natural gas supply in the New England region
6. study moving public policy charges off of ratepayer bills and into the budget

“It’s time for our Democrat colleagues to level with Connecticut residents. They would have maxed out ratepayers believe that utilities are the sole boogeyman in the state’s energy crisis. The reality, though, is that decisions made by government are a driver in the high rates we all pay—including the recently proposed increase,” House Republican Leader Vincent Candelora said. “What’s required right now is not only a change of approach in the legislature, but also a more aggressive posture from the Governor, whose hands-off approach in the three-way squabble involving the legislature, the utilities, and his regulators has grown stale. He needs to lead on this issue, which touches every aspect of ratepayers lives.”