Town Says No To Eversource Increase
It’s no secret that CT pays some of the highest electricity bills in the country. Over the years, a variety of factors have led to high standard service rates and now one town in CT has had enough. But what is Vernon, CT doing to push back against Eversource and rising CT electricity rates and why? Let’s talk about how one CT town fights the Eversource rate increase.
Why Fight Eversource Rate Increase?
In March, Eversource filed a major rate hike request that would go into effect in May. The request, if approved by the PURA, would see average CT residential bills rise by about $38 a month. Because this rate increase would affect the distribution charges on your bill, ALL of their customers would have to pay it.
Vernon Petitions Against Rate Increase
As you can guess, there is a lot of criticism in CT about this increase. The town of Vernon has started a petition opposing Eversource. This petition urges PURA to refuse the rate increase due to the strain it places on local homes and businesses. The signed petition will then be delivered directly to PURA for comment and consideration. While the petition started with Vernon residents, officials invite all customers to sign.
What’s surprising is that Vernon officials aren’t alone. AARP Connecticut have also urged PURA to refuse the rate increase. According to them, “The average CL&P residential customers will experience an annual approximate bill increase of $304.56 which is too high.”
Eversource Responds To Vernon Petition
Eversource disagrees with the petition as well as the claims made by Vernon Town officials. They claim that the town leaders are wrong to think their approach isn’t a disservice to the community.
First, Eversource claims that a major cause for the rate hike is a 2019 deal CT made with Dominion Energy. This deal requires Eversource and UI to purchase about half of Millstone’s output. In other words, Eversource has to purchase a large portion of power from Millstone, even when cheaper power sources are available. Eversource claims that this deal has cost them over $600 million. On top of this, Eversource claims that the rate hike will recoup costs for unpaid bills during the pandemic.
The utility asks that ratepayers read their statement about solutions for the high rate situation. They also welcome town officials to join the discussion in finding solutions that work for all parties involved.
What CT Customers Can Do
Right now, we have to wait and see how PURA will respond to the rate increase. So it is certainly possible that distribution charges will rise. However, right now we are still in milder weather and shoulder month pricing. So it’s the right time to save on the supply portion of your bill by shopping for the cheapest rates in town. Additionally, you can find savings if you practice smart energy saving strategies.
We will keep up to date on this story as it develops. Because you can always count on https://www.ctenergyratings.com for all the news that affect your bills. We’re also the best place to shop for the best energy deals in CT.