January 23, 2025

Pizzuto, CT House and Senate Republicans Offer Ideas to Provide Consumers Relief on Electric Bills

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(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.

“Let’s do the right thing and make our energy rates more affordable by taking up these proposals,” said Rep. Bill Pizzuto (R-71). “We, as elected officials, should be weighing in as the voice of our constituents on dozens of programs lumped together in the Public Benefits portion of electric bills. There is never an analysis of whether or not those programs are actually working.”

“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.”

The proposals mirror those offered by the House and Senate Republicans in February 2024, when they urged action as they reminded Democrats about the financial pressure on constituents caused by high electric bills.

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 4.

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