State Sen. Paul Cicarella (R-North Haven) and Connecticut Republican lawmakers are petitioning for a special legislative session at the State Capitol to address high electric rates impacting ratepayers statewide. Senator Cicarella acknowledged the pressing situation felt by ratepayers, calling on all stakeholders to convene a special session and work together to find solutions.
“My constituents are enraged, and rightly so. They have seen costs for everyday items continue to rise, and now they are getting hammered by their electric bill. Now is not the time to point fingers, it is the time to act. I join my colleagues in calling on the governor to work with the legislature and call a special session to find solutions to the energy affordability crisis residents are facing,” Senator Cicarella remarked.
The proposals outlined in the petition include:
- Moving “public benefits charges” permanently off ratepayer bills, eliminating a hidden tax on CT ratepayers, and palace onto the Appropriation budget.
- Providing immediate electric rate relief by reallocating unobligated end-of-year American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds and re-examining budgetary options that could make available additional dollars to (a) cover the portions of rate increases associated with the moratorium on electric service shut-offs and the costs associated with electric vehicle charging programs and (b) provide additional rate relief to ratepayers to the maximum extent possible as funds allow
- Capping all future Power Purchase Agreements (renewable, nuclear and others) to no more than 150% over the wholesale electric market price
- Redefining Class I renewable energy sources to enable competition to lower the cost of these energy sources (Class I renewable energy sources including: solar power, wind power, geothermal systems, anaerobic digestion, ocean thermal power, wave or tidal power, hydropower, and biomass. Renewable energy sources are continuously replenished on Earth.)
- Restoring the independence of the Public Utility Regulatory Authority (PURA), by separating it from the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP).
Ratepayers who wish to urge their state senator or state representative to petition for special session may do so at www.SpecialSessionCT.com.