Within a week of its posting, thousands of Connecticut residents signed a petition hosted on the Town of Vernon website in protest of Eversource’s proposed 19 percent rate increase. The petition will be forwarded to Connecticut’s Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA), the agency which will ultimately decide whether or not the increase is approved.
Although the petition was hosted on the Town of Vernon website, citizens from all over the state made their voices heard. A release by the town of Vernon said signees ranged from towns such as Vernon, Southington, Waterbury, Southbury, Prospect, West Hartford, Ellington, Newtown, Avon and more.
“People are angry, people are frustrated, people are struggling to make ends meet to pay their bills, and this 19 percent rate increase is exorbitant,” said Michael Purcaro, Vernon’s Town Administrator in an interview with Inside Investigator. “In local government, our main job here is to represent the best interests of the people we serve, and that’s what we’re doing.”
Purcaro said the Town decided to host its own petition after receiving an outpouring of concern from residents surrounding the proposed rate increase. Besides its availability on the Town website, Purcaro said the Town has also printed out hard copies of the petition and distributed them to the town’s senior center, clerk’s office and library so that, “even if people don’t have computer access they still have a voice, because every voice matters.”
Purcaro also noted that another petition against the rate hike hosted by Connecticut’s American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) chapter, has received thousands of signatures. Purcaro estimated that 15,000 residents have signed off between the two petitions.
Eversource, which is the state’s largest provider of gas and electricity, has given numerous reasons for its proposed hike, such as higher numbers of unpaid bills during COVID, increased natural gas prices, and changes in PURA’s biannual rate adjustment assessment process. The proposed rate increase would raise an additional $784 million for Eversource, and account for an estimated $38 per month increase in costs for ratepayers.
“We agree that this rate increase is shocking, especially as it stems from PURA policies leading to one of the largest rate increases ever reflected in the Public Benefits portion of the bill, showing how pushed off costs of state policies are being passed on to customers,” said Jamie Ratliff, an Eversource Senior Media Relations Specialist. “This rate increase is almost entirely driven by state-mandated and approved programs which we are required to administer on behalf of the state and earn no profit on.”
Eversource, which claimed record profits in 2022, has stated that they don’t stand to profit off the rate increases, as they are a result of an increase in the “public benefits” portion of ratepayers’ electric bills. Per Eversource’s site, public benefits are described as “costs mandated by the state and federal government for financial assistance and energy efficiency programs, purchasing renewable and carbon-free electricity, and funding solar and electric vehicle incentives.” Regardless, Purcaro wondered whether or not Eversource has truly taken into account all possible cost-savings measures.
“I hear what Eversource is saying, that a lot of this is driven by policy, regulation and legislation, that they’re not making profits on it, but what I’m seeing is record profits,” said Purcaro. “Their executives are being compensated very well, multimillion dollar packages and bonuses. My question to Eversource is; what sacrifices have their CEOs or their executives made?”
Ratliff pushed back against Purcaro’s implication stating: “Our CEO’s salary, which included a significant reduction to incentive pay for last year, is benchmarked to peer utilities around the country and has nothing to do with this increase.”
Purcaro described the possibility of a rate increase as a “double whammy,” as heightened costs on municipal utility bills could lead municipalities to adjust their mill rates, increasing property taxes for residents. While Purcaro couldn’t give an accurate estimate as to what Vernon’s projected increase would be if the hike goes through, he admitted that town officials have been taking it into consideration.
“This is really in everyone’s best interests,” said Purcaro. “Even if you’re not a ratepayer, if you’re a taxpayer, it’s in your best interest to not see this go through because one way or the other, you’re going to be paying for it.”
Regardless of any proposed rate hikes, Connecticut residents are already paying the highest electric rates of any state in the Continental U.S.
“I already have to skip medications and food to keep our electricity on,” wrote one petitioner. “I’m disabled and I’d have been disconnected a long time ago. I guess I’ll cancel my oxygen too. Why don’t you just take us all out back and shoot us rather than letting us continue to suffer.”
“I’m sick of living in the dark to avoid high utility bills,” wrote another petitioner from Southington. “Higher rates will most likely cause me to stop using air conditioning, which will put me at risk for heat stroke or death.”
Purcaro said that while petitioners of all age groups and demographics have made their voices heard, “it’s the vulnerable populations in our state,” such as seniors on fixed income, that would be most impacted by the increase.
“Food, gas and utilities leave me short every month,” wrote one senior petitioner from Vernon. “Please don’t raise it. Pretty soon I’ll be homeless at 74 years old.”
Purcaro described the comments left by petitioners as “heartbreaking.”
“These are real stories from real people and we’re providing them with an opportunity to be heard,” said Purcaro.
Purcaro also noted the aggravation of residents who have taken measures to be more sustainable, by using LED bulbs or switching to lower electricity appliances, who feel that the savings benefits of these lower-energy devices are being offset by their increasing electric bills.
“People are making these investments hoping that they’re going to see their money back,” said Purcaro. “The problem that we’re hearing from a lot of people is that they’ve done all this and as their demand for electricity has gone down, their rates have gone up, so they’re not really seeing any savings.”
Purcaro said that Eversource had reached out to discuss the proposal with him, but decided to turn down their offer after they admitted to him that regardless of what happened during the conversation, they would not change their proposal.
“We did offer to sit down with Vernon’s town leaders to discuss the drivers of this increase and our proposed solutions but they declined, preferring instead to use misinformation and redirection to create outrage instead of focusing on solutions that will actually benefit their constituents,” said Ratliff. “We encourage anyone concerned about rate volatility to contact their legislator of the governor’s office to tell PURA to employ policies that make rates predictable.”
Per PURA’s own website, it is “statutorily-charged with ensuring that Connecticut’s investor-owned utilities, including the state’s electric, natural gas, water, and telecommunications companies, provide safe, clean, reliable, and affordable utility service and infrastructure.”
PURA is slated to make its decision on April 17, at 10 a.m. said Joe Cooper, PURA’s Deputy Director of Communications.
“Through a rigorous public process, PURA and its stakeholders continue to thoroughly vet the requests,” said Cooper. “For all proceedings the Authority is committed to ensuring as many voices are included in the process as possible.”
PURA released draft decisions on March 28 which would “conditionally agree” to the proposed rate hikes. Purcaro advised residents who worry about their own inability to pay their bills if the hike goes through, to reach out to their state legislators and the governor’s office, as well as to look into their town or city’s local social services or senior services departments.
4.12.24 Correction: Following publication, quotes from Eversource were added to this article and clarifications were made based on that information.
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Great job of reporting!!! Finally, a media that actually posts the true voices of the citizens, and not CNN propaganda! Kudos a hundred times over. Please consider surveying the populous regarding the insane government corruption going on right now, that the ‘bought’ media buries, or minimizes as propaganda, when all they report is propaganda, that is filtered through the administration. Same will happen in CT, because the illuminati already bought and paid for the democrats in this state. The rate hike will go through, and all those who can’t afford it will be forced to relocate out of state, so illegals can move in and the state can be subsidised even further by the democrat Feds. Spending OUR money a thousand years into the future. But then again, there is a reason young men like you don’t stir the pot, or go against the grain of the ‘G’, There’s a whole section in the library for Clinton’s critics and accusers.
Awaiting moderation…. nobody wants to get in trouble.
There is safety in shining the light toward the gate of evil, instead of down the hole.
This is how Fox news captivates viewers on both side of the aisle, by pointing in the direction of deceit and corruption, but never spotlighting it.
Be interesting to see if my truth is posted. After all, keeping the masses guessing prevents them from making a decision, right?
God Bless
How do I sign the petition?
It’s worth highlighting one sentence of your article. This rate increase
….. “stems from PURA policies leading to one of the largest rate increases ever reflected in the Public Benefits portion of the bill, showing how pushed off costs of state policies are being passed on to customers,” said Jamie Ratliff, an Eversource Senior Media Relations Specialist. “This rate increase is almost entirely driven by state-mandated and approved programs which we are required to administer on behalf of the state and earn no profit on.”
Eversource is getting a black eye for implementing state mandates.
And the costs will skyrocket as the state continues to implement legislated NetZero laws. Socialized electricity (like we used to read about in third world countries) is already here as states are actively considering schemes to have you pay for not only the the increasingly unaffordable NetZero costs, but those of others.
You can do something about it. Tell your legislator to vote against all NetZero bills especially:
HB5004 the “Green Monster”. Have them repeal the underlying NetZero law too.
HB5231 which adds 500MW per year of primarily residential solar which costs 53 cents/kwh or 13 times its market value of <4 cents. In 4-5 years it will be adding at least 15% to the bills of non solar customers. California and 11 other states have stopped solar net metering. The cost shift is rapidly escalating as the solar customers don't pay for any cost increases or system upgrades for 20 years.
HB 5052- 50 MW/year solar for schools which costs shifts to the towns taxpayers. Tell your school boards to focus on education and to stop the schemes to indirectly tax the non-solar taxpayers.
I feel like I should not have to be forced to pay extra on my electric bill for people that did not pay their bills. I am a senior and these out ragious increases are not fair. Do we get help when we can no longer pay our bills. I guess we will have to eventually go without electricity. we can thank Ned Lamont and his cronies that allowed this to happen.
I heard we the customers should not be affected by the increase because ever source expected a decrease in carrier costs that they were going to have to pass on to customers so better to take it from us than pass it on I wonder how many of them have ever had to choose better medications or being warm? Energy efficiency in new appliances and even bulbs is out of the question for us lower rung i am a veteran and wonder why I served because I am an American fighting man and so everyone be free and live free not taken prisoner in my own country by the electric company all ou our state officials were going to look in on this right at their desks as soon as they find their pens to sign please stand up for the little people who voted for you help us fight them
I’ve written to Blumenthal, Murphy & PURA, that their Democrat policies of allowing millions of Illegals into our Country, then give them free “HUSKY” insurance and now electricity from “Public Benefits” section of our bill, seems Unconstitutional to burden customers to pay for them. How about upholding our Immigration laws, instead of rewarding the ones who break them at the cost of taxpayers. None of my emails received any response.
My Brother was an engineer for UI, back when they burnt coal. Lawmakers passed a law that the coal must not contain more than a certain percent (10%?) of sulfur. The only place that had such coal was in Indonesia (if I recall) so they used to transport by ship here, which is not very “green” when you consider all the diesel fuel used. He informed me how the smoke stacks have catalytic converters that would clean the smoke well enough that we could have burnt American coal with the same amount of emissions.
Really now where is this money going? If you are on this program and getting this public benefits, you are also charged on your bill this public Benefit rate charge. This is a take away of about 78% from what you receive from the Benefit. This is only the begin.
Stop voting for the politicians in office who are part of this !! It’s time to wake up
Blumenthal, Murphy you approved of this rate hike public benefit/ slush fund on our Eversource electric bill to cover your incompent policies and you want us to pay for illegals etc note I was informed Eversource does not keep this slush fund money your hiding it under them you are supporting a socialist govt.
They charged me 180 for same day service turn on and it was a maybe and they didn’t turn it on the same day . So they hit more money out of me to not turn it on .
Every time I open the electric bill it gets higher and higher. This is a form gaslighting people and there is no excuse for it! People are paying enough as it is for groceries, gas, and every other utility without this baloney being pulled on us. People have been signing petitions to end this madness but you people are making it difficult for me to find the petition to sign. A a senior of 83 years living on social security it takes away all my grocery money! When is this garbage going to end?
I want our town to have an advocate to deal with Eversource. I wrote to our Mayor and wonder who else to contact.
The “Public Benefits” portion of my bill this month was $202. Last month it was $147 i called Eversource and said what the heck are they doing? I have paid $350 in two months just for that portion of my bill. I asked if i could opt out next month, for that portion, that I am unable to help the public right now to the tune of $350 and she said you cant opt out (of course, I know this, I am just fed up)
Eversource is is not regulated as they say the consumer is running the show
as they select the KW supplier ,budget billing is not accurate ,and every
time a rate increase is granted the consumer pays for the previous shut offs to increase, my bill increased about 90% in one month,does this sound like
they are doing the right thing,I have contacted our senators they say they are mis managed its time for someone to step up to the plate and take action , and what about the seniors do you think they check the KW
providers every month,be real this company is being run by the consumer.
I’m sure I’m not the 1st to complain about Ever Source’s extremely high rates, but from my perspective I have to chose what is more important, heating my house with Oil or using electricity. Unfortunately, like many I’m stuck because my income is just above the threshold of getting aid and not enough to pay these crazy electrical rates. I have sent letters to my elected state officials and did not get any communication back from then. I called Ever Source and they told me they had the wright to charge what they are billing according to Law. The part that really irks me are the 2 charges on the very bottom of the “DELIVERY” section on my bill that I’m forced to pay that have nothing to do with my use of electricity, the FMCC Charge & the Comb Public Benefit Chrg. On my bill this month that equates to $172.99. According to Ever Source this charge is revenue they use to build Electric Vehicle Charging Stations. Well excuse me, I feel that should come out of there already collected revenues seeing customers will not get a cut of the future revenues derived from these Electric Vehicle charging stations. So they got their increase & another total stand alone income stream regarding these 2 line items. This will also lead to many more rate payers seeking help from the State to pay these rate hikes. So with my elected officials failing to communicate what they are or aren’t doing, my question is, “Is anyone fighting for the countless number of rate payers like me, or is it a lost cause”