Connecticut Republicans are urging Gov. Ned Lamont to call a special session to address the high cost of electric rates.
Senate and House Republicans held a news conference at the Legislative Office Building on Thursday. They said there is a need to offset costs for residents and taxpayers. They demanded Lamont take a more aggressive role to develop a plan on energy and demanded that Lamont take a more aggressive role in developing an energy plan.
Senate Republican Leader Stephen Harding said Connecticut has among the highest electric rates in the country. Harding said he has heard from constituents about the financial pressure caused by high electric bills.
“We’re here once again to call on the governor. Call us into a special session now. This is an emergency. Let’s address this issue. Let’s stop the bleeding. Let’s once again make the electric rates in this state affordable,” Harding said.
In April, Connecticut regulators approved an electric rate adjustment for utilities Eversource and United Illuminating. The companies were considering options to pay off costs related to the state’s COVID-era moratorium on shutoffs and other costs. During that time, some electric bills went unpaid. That moratorium lasted nearly four years.
Now, electric companies want to cover the cost of the loss by having all customers repay the utility. The additional fee is included in the “Public Benefits portion” of electricity bills.
Representative Bill Buckbee is the House Ranking Member of the Energy and Technology Committee. He said the state should have set aside part of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to cover the cost of the moratorium. Now, Beckbee said the state needs to do what it can to offset costs for residents and taxpayers.
“We’re asking to go to a special session again to drop that down. The people are screaming from the rooftops. It’s time we do something. Let’s get politics aside, put the people first and bring that bill down,” Buckbee said.
Republicans suggested Lamont use the remaining ARPA funds to address the issue. They also suggested using $200 million from the state’s $853 million surplus from this year to offset costs. In the future, they want to limit Power Purchase Agreements so that “no contract can be for more than 150% over the wholesale electric market price.” They proposed to Separate the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) and the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA).
“A special session would give us another bite at the apple—to reallocate money. It won’t solve the immediate problem, but it’s potentially a bit of relief ratepayers deserve,” Buckbee said.
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Publish date : 2024-08-08 10:34:00
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