Eversource submits plan to increase rates - Eyewitness News 3
Eversource submits plan to increase rates
BERLIN, CT (WFSB) - Eversource announced that it submitted a plan to Connecticut regulators that included increased rates.
The plan could raise electric bills by nearly $40 a month.
The new rates would go into effect on May 1, 2024.
Eversource said a high number of unpaid balances dating back to the COVID-19 pandemic drove up costs, which has been causing paying customers to foot the bill.
“In the last two years, we have advocated for various changes to provide value and rate stability for our customers,” said Steve Sullivan, Eversource president of electric operations in Connecticut. “Our customers want predictability, and not a constantly and significantly changing electric bill each year. We’re coming forward with a menu of solutions to achieve the goals of providing our customers with stability for several years, modifying policies to help prevent this kind of rate shock from happening in the future, and ensuring we have the resources needed to manage the electrical system and provide high-quality customer service.”
The energy company also submitted a plan to increase rates over time to minimize the impact.
“We’re taking the necessary steps to put solutions on the table and to work collaboratively with state leaders to minimize volatility in customer bills from this increase and reduce bill volatility going forward,” Sullivan said. “We’ve spent much of the last year proactively engaging elected officials, the communities we serve, and our many stakeholders to help them understand the importance of a constructive platform between the state and its utilities. This is an opportunity to show how we can work together in the interests of the state.”
Eversource sent a letter that included the proposal to Gov. Ned Lamont’s office, Attorney General William Tong’s office, the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, and the Office of the Consumer Counsel.
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