August 15, 2024
Yesterday, Nick Simmons, candidate for CT-36 State Senate seat, sent the following letter to the Public Utility Regulatory Authority to address the spike in electric prices.
Dear Ms. Gillett,
Significant and warranted public concern has arisen around this summer’s spike in electric prices. That customers could see their residential electricity bills rise by 30%—an unacceptable and, for many, unmanageable increase is alarming. It is my understanding that these charges are the result of PURA failing to collect $265 million in federally-mandated fees last year.
I am writing with an unequivocal message: residents shouldn’t bear the burden of these surcharges. I am urging you to take steps to rescind these fees as soon as possible and protect residential customers by barring any new fees.
This is something that the General Assembly should have addressed earlier this session. These increases should not have been a surprise to millions across the state—they should have been tackled on a bipartisan basis, with Democrats and Republicans working together, to solve these challenges. Now, residents are seeing giant spikes in their bills.
Across the state, families are still reeling from years of inflation. The cost of everything—from childcare, to housing, to home and car insurance, to groceries—is still at levels that many in our state struggle to pay. I certainly understand that there is no good time for families to see dramatic increases in their electric bills. However, the situation we find ourselves in is the result of insufficient planning on the part of Eversource, PURA and the Connecticut General Assembly. As such, it requires a solution that avoids inflicting undue pain on our residents.
Connecticut residents deserve tax and cost of living relief and more money in their pockets—not surprise hikes on their bills.
These hikes never should have happened. That’s why I’m writing to you to take steps to immediately address the concerns around these new increases and take steps to eliminate them at a time when residents so desperately need relief. Should that not occur, I would fully support a special session to put money back in the pockets of Connecticut families. It’s the responsible thing to do.
Sincerely,
Nick Simmons
Candidate, 36th Senatorial District
