Eastern CT Legislators Demand Answers Following Price Hike

EAST LYME, CT — Several Connecticut legislators have banded together to demand answers from Eversource Energy following a significant number of state residents reporting increases in their electric bills, according to a statement from legislators.

As of July 1, Eversouce said it passed along a rate increase to customers due to a state mandated agreement with the Millstone Nuclear Power Plant to buy power, but senators and representatives are calling for a hearing to determine exactly why this spike in Eversource electric bills has occurred.

The group of Eastern Connecticut legislators calling for the energy company to provide an explanation includes state senators Norm Needleman (D-Essex), Cathy Osten (D-Sprague), Paul Formica (R-East Lyme) and Heather Somers (R-Groton); and state representatives Kate Rotella (D-Stonington), Joe DelaCruz (D-New London), Kevin Ryan (D-Norwich), Christine Conley (D-Groton, Ledyard), Anthony Nolan (D-New London), Brian Smith (D-Colchester), Holly Cheeseman (R-East Lyme), Mike France (R-42), Kathleen McCarty (R-Waterford, Montville) and Devin Carney (R-Lyme).

The legislators are asking Eversource to explain why this charge is being passed onto customers.

“I am asking Eversource not to place their extra charges onto customers especially during a pandemic,” Needleman said in a statement. “Some folks can’t afford the basic necessities and an extra charge on their bill is making it even harder for families to get by. I am asking Eversource for answers. What is the real reason so many are seeing a huge increase in their electricity bills.”

"This is an inappropriate time for such a drastic increase in the distribution rates from Eversource especially as generation rates are declining in Connecticut," Formica said in a statement. "The Energy Committee leadership will hold an electronic public hearing so that Eversource can come before us and testify as to their justification for this rate hike. Additionally, I have signed a letter with leadership to PURA asking for an immediate suspension of these increases and for PURA to conduct a thorough review of this request."