Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont has reappointed the controversial chair of the state’s Public Utilities Regulatory Authority, despite some calls for her to be fired.
Lamont said that Marissa Gillett has been selected as the chairperson of PURA because she is the most experienced and qualified person to ever serve as a utility regulator in the state.
He said she benefits state ratepayers with her breadth of knowledge and experience in energy policy and her ability to navigate complex cases.
Gillett is facing a hostile relationship with the state’s largest utilities. They’ve sued her for allegedly making bad regulatory decisions.
That prompted some Republican lawmakers to oppose her appointment.
House Minority Leader Vincent Candelora said that under her watch, Connecticut now holds the dubious distinction of having the worst regulatory environment in the country, with unaffordable electric bills.
Gillett has been PURA chair since 2019, when Lamont first appointed her a commissioner of the regulatory authority.
