New London Senator Leads Passage of Bill To Preserve Millstone’s Presence in Connecticut

HARTFORD, CT – The state Senate approved legislation Wednesday initiating an appraisal to determine what actions are needed to preserve Millstone Power Station’s presence in Connecticut. The bill passed the Senate with a vote of 23 to 9 and now moves to the House of Representatives, according to a release.

The legislation requires the state implement changes to support Millstone if determined to be in the best interest of ratepayers to provide energy stability, preserve the state’s largest carbon-free energy source and keep energy rates down.

State Senator Paul Formica (Republican-East Lyme) is the co-chair of the Energy and Technology Committee, who led the passage of the bill in the Senate.

“I want to thank all the lawmakers who came together to recognize the importance of protecting a vital energy source ratepayers rely on every day by passing this combined appraisal and implementation legislation,” Formica said in a release. “This legislation is a win-win for ratepayers throughout our state and one of Connecticut’s major employers. Preserving Millstone’s ability to compete in the market is vital to maintaining the state’s energy stability and stopping the disastrous situation that would occur if Millstone closed. Millstone provides over half of Connecticut’s daily power and 30 percent of the power for all of New England. If the plant were to close, more than half of all of New England’s electric power would have to be supplied by gas-powered facilities. Connecticut simply does not have that kind of capacity. That dramatic increased demand for natural gas, especially in the cold winter months, would lead to skyrocketing energy costs and ratepayers would suffer.”

The legislation will direct the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) to complete an appraisal of the current and future condition of New England’s nuclear facilities. The agency will be required to implement recommendations made by the appraisal by May 1, 2018, if determined to be in the best interest of ratepayers.

The legislation does not provide any subsidies. Rather, the bill would allow DEEP and the Public Utility Regulatory Authority (PURA) to determine if it is in the best interest of ratepayers to remove the middleman and allow nuclear facilities to sell power directly to utilities to lock in long-term stable prices through a competitive process.

The appraisal will investigate the economic conditions of New England’s nuclear facilities and the impact of what would happen to the state’ s electric markets, greenhouse gas goals and the state, local and regional economies if those plants closed.

Throughout the country, changing markets are resulting in nuclear plants closing in many states. With those closings comes a reduction in available power and challenges for states that rely significantly on such plants for energy needs. This legislation requires the state to complete an appraisal by January 1, 2018 and act on its findings on or before May 1, 2018.

“We have to slowly move our state over time to renewable resources, but carbon-free nuclear energy must remain a part of that transition to bridge the gap," Formica said. "Without it, our state’s energy system as we know it today would collapse, and ratepayers would be the ones struggling. Dominion made it very clear that without state action, they would reconsider their presence in our state. Not only would that mean devastation for ratepayers, but it would wreak havoc on the local economy. Millstone employs 1500 people and contributes $1.5 billion to the state’s economy. This legislation is first and foremost about ratepayers throughout the state. But we also cannot ignore its personal impact on thousands of local families in Southeastern Connecticut as well. I urge the House of Representatives to join the Senate in approving this much needed legislation to proactively address our state’s changing energy needs.”

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