Eversource bills increasing in July - WTNH.com

Eversource bills increasing in July 2024

NEW HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH) — Some Eversource customers can expect to see a bump in their bills starting on July 1.

The majority of customers will see an increase of about $8.

In Connecticut, the energy supply price changes twice a year – Jan.1 and July 1. On Friday, Eversource filed a new Standard Service supply rate with Connecticut’s Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) that would go into effect on July 1.

If approved, the new rate for residential customers receiving their energy supply from Eversource will go down from 14.71 cents to 8.99 cents per kilowatt-hour. It would be about a $40 decrease on the supply portion.

Eversource added all residential customers will see an increase of nearly $48 per month for 10 months to the “Public Benefits” portion of the bill, which covers the cost for state-required and approved programs and policies.

“The fact that the supply rates have come down is offsetting the increase in public benefits portion,” said Doug Horton, the vice president of distribution rates at Eversource. “But we understand that at the end of the day, any increase is difficult for our customers.”

As we go into the warmer months, Eversource recommends:

- Keeping air conditioners set as warm as comfort allows. For every degree higher on the thermostat, the air conditioner will use 1-3% less electricity.
- Don’t block airflow. Keep air vents clear of obstructions such as furniture, curtains and rugs.
- Operate major appliances during the cooler parts of the day. Energy is conserved by using appliances like clothes washers and dryers early in the morning or late in the evening when there is also less demand on the electric system.
- Keep blinds closed when it’s hot out to prevent unwanted heat from entering a home through windows. Using curtains, shades and blinds can lower indoor temperatures by up to 20 degrees.
- Switch to ENERGY STAR®-certified LED lights. The energy-efficient bulbs run cooler and last up to 25 times longer than incandescent lights.
- Set ceiling fans to rotate counterclockwise and at a higher speed in the summer to circulate the air more effectively, creating a cooling, wind chill effect. Remember to turn the fan off when leaving the room.

The energy company also told News 8 it has proposed several solutions to PURA to provide bill stability.

State Sen. Norm Needleman (D-District 33), the chair of the senate’s energy and technology committee, said in a written statement on Friday that it’s “a great thing for ratepayers” to see the standard service price drop lower than what was expected.

“Above all else, it is meaningful and relieving to know the people of Connecticut will experience less of a cost burden than expected,” he wrote. “Our policies look to the future, but you can never build major market shocks like pandemics or wars into them, and those impacts on the world still influence our markets today.”

However, he said there are “concerns after Eversource’s recent public declarations not to invest in Connecticut’s power grid.”

“That reduction of investments, if it leads to the quality of service falling in the event of severe storms, will not go over well with the ratepayers the company expects to pay current rates,” Needleman wrote.