After seeing a flood of furious social media posts about the latest electric bill hikes from United Illuminating (UI) and Eversource, Scott Pearson of Monroe has launched a grassroots campaign to demand that Gov. Ned Lamont and the General Assembly stop the Combined Public Benefits (CPB) from being tacked onto electric bills.
CPB is the part of your electric bill that covers the cost of government mandates imposed on power companies for grid reliability, affordability, clean energy and other state energy policies. These costs are passed directly to consumers, adding no revenue to the power companies. In July, ratepayers were shocked to see this charge increase by nearly $48 and $34 for Eversource and UI, respectively.
Since July 28, Pearson’s petition has already received more than 12,000 signatures from state residents. The petition emphasizes the widespread frustration, declaring, “Make no mistake — we are ripping mad and demand this increase to be repealed.”
Pearson told Yankee Institute that “the petition was not politically motivated” and stressed that the rate hike impacts everyone, regardless of political affiliation. His goal is to collect 100,000 signatures to present to Gov. Lamont, PURA, Attorney General William Tong, the Office of Consumer Counsel (OCC), and every member of the General Assembly in a bid to eliminate this charge from electric bills.
Along with inflation and the state’s already high taxes, the increase “adds insult to injury” Pearson said, adding that he believes “with enough voices, change will happen.”
Pearson shared a story from Aug. 1 that highlights the real-world impact of skyrocketing electric bills. On a sweltering 91-degree day with a heat advisory in effect, while on a service call at an elderly woman’s apartment, Pearson found her unwilling to turn on her air conditioner. The reason? Her electric bill had doubled, and she told him flatly, “[I] can’t afford it.”
On his take-action page, Pearson urges everyone impacted by the rate hike to contact their representatives and encourages those who have signed the petition to spread the word.
Activists are already in action, contacting elected officials and sharing their responses on the petition website. Among those responding are Rep. Lezlye Zupkus (R-Prospect), Rep. Robin Comey (D-Branford) and State Comptroller Sean Scanlon.
Comptroller Scanlon stated that the “state is working to resolve it so that we can lower the public benefits charge.”
Additionally, Rep. Comey noted that “about 77% of the current increase in the public benefit cost on your bill originates from a bipartisan agreement half a decade ago to save the Millstone Nuclear Power Station located in Waterford, CT.” The agreement, she said, aimed to strengthen the state’s carbon-free energy resources and protect thousands of Connecticut jobs.
Furthermore, Rep. Zupkus explained that the CPB — in addition to Millstone costs — also fund mandated costs “that provide money for education and financial hardship programs for electric customers.” Other portions support the state’s “Renewable Energy Investment Fund, which provides incentives for renewable energy projects and energy efficiency programs.”
The rate increases, Rep. Zupkus argues, are primarily driven by “legislative priorities to achieve zero-carbon energy by 2040 and a misaligned directive requiring the utilities to provide power to some individuals, regardless of whether they will make payments on their bill.”
Rep. Zupkus is referring to the pandemic-era moratorium on disconnecting electricity for customers unable to pay their bills. This moratorium lasted four years and cost $160 million, which is now being recouped through the CBP. It is important to point out that, unlike other New England states that rolled back their moratoriums by July 2021, Connecticut maintained it until last May, making it the last state to do so.
Pearson’s grassroots campaign against the CBP reflects a growing frustration among Connecticut residents burdened by soaring electric bills. As the state grapples with the consequences of long-standing policies, the voices of those like Pearson echo the need for immediate reform. The growing response to the petition highlights a bipartisan frustration, as citizens demand relief from what they perceive as unjust financial burdens.
The petition can be found HERE
