The Connecticut Public Utilities Regulatory Authority said consumers can expect to see a decreased rate in their energy bills as early as next month.
PURA announced a decrease in the rate on monthly energy bills by roughly 14%. The change is due in part to a decrease in the public benefits charge, a hardship protection cost to cover uncollectible debt and forgiveness programs during the pandemic.
Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Commissioner Katie Dykes said a rate change will take effect on May 1. PURA will review the public benefits charge again in September to make any needed adjustments. Dykes said decreased rates will apply to both energy companies, Eversource and United Illuminating.
“Rates will decrease by 4.3 cents per kilowatt hour or about $30 per month for the average residential Eversource customer and 4.9 cents per kilowatt hour or about $34 per month for the average United Illuminating residential customer,” Dykes said.
Governor Ned Lamont said the rate decrease is the result of a combination of policy work, contracts and legislation. Lamont said the change is partially tied to nuclear energy contracts with Millstone and Seabrook.
“We’ve been able to really eliminate the public benefits charge for the foreseeable future, say the next year or so. What that means is rather than the public benefits charge being about four cents on your bill, now it's going to be about a one-cent credit, ” Lamont said.
Connecticut negotiated with the two nuclear power plants to provide energy at fixed prices. Lamont said it would help insulate ratepayers from ‘volatile fossil fuel pricing’. He said his administration considered factors like high gas prices this winter due to Winter Storm Fern and the war in Iran as reasons to maintain a diversified portfolio of energy sources.
In 2025, Lamont signed into law a bill that would reduce the public benefits charge through bonding for hardship and arrearages. He said electric vehicle charging costs also removed more than $155 million from public benefits charges. Lamont said that once the Revolution Wind power project is fully operational, he expects it to save customers an additional $100 million per year.
“Connecticut ratepayers are about to see some welcome relief on their electric bills, due in large part to the difficult decisions made when electricity prices were low,” Lamont said.
