According to the company, United Illuminating bills for Connecticut residents are expected to increase in May.
UI officials blame the controversial “public benefits charge.”
In the company’s preliminary 2025 Rate Adjustment Mechanism filed with the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority, UI calculates that customers will see a .1% bill increase, equating to approximately $0.26 monthly for the average residential customer (700 kilowatt-hours per month).
"It’s important for our customers to know that, as a distribution-only company, we do not control or profit from the Public Benefits Charge, which funds sustainability and hardship programs that state policymakers have passed,” said Frank Reynolds, president and CEO of UI. “We are required by state law to implement the programs contained in the Public Benefits Charge. If customers have questions about these charges, we encourage them to contact their elected officials.”
The public benefits charge has been a hot topic since last summer, when an increase was paired with a particularly hot month, driving customer rates up.
The charge covers renewable and efficient energy programs, grid updates and fortification, and arrearage forgiveness programs.
Lawmakers in the General Assembly have introduced legislation to remove the charge from ratepayers' bills, among other measures they say would save consumers money.
