Connecticut lawmakers want state regulators to reject Yankee Gas's 43% rate hike request.
Yankee Gas is owned by Eversource, the state’s largest utility. It says it needs the rate hike to cover a loss of more than $200 million in distribution costs.
The increase would add about $46 monthly to the average customer’s bill.
Attorney General William Toing said his office will oppose the request now before the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority.
He said the request would raise the company's revenue by 29% and hurt customers who are fed up with sky-high energy costs.
“And we are going to fight tooth and nail to cut it down. And we are going to put Eversource and Yankee Gas to the test and make them prove that they need additional money from ratepayers,” Tong said.
“For example, they are pricing at a premium for regulatory risk,” he said. “That means they don’t like us asking questions.”
“They don’t like PURA holding them and their feet to the fire. They don’t like the scrutiny. They don't like accountability. So they want us to pay more for that. It's utter nonsense,” Tong added.
State Senator Ryan Fazio is the ranking Republican on the Energy and Technology Committee. He also wants PURA to scrutinize the request and defend consumers.
PURA will hold public hearings before it makes its decision. If approved, the rate hike would take effect in November 2025.
Yankee Gas serves more than 230,000 residential, commercial, and industrial customers across 85 towns in Connecticut.
