Allie-Brennan Breaks Down Why Your Eversource Bills Are So High

**News Release Submitted by State Rep. Raghib Allie-Brennan**

Aug. 8, 2024

Why Are Your Eversource Bills So High? Let's Break It Down.

by State Rep. Raghib Allie-Brennan

If you've noticed a spike in your Eversource bill, you're not alone—and there's a clear reason why. A staggering 77% of the increase you're seeing comes from the Millstone agreement. For those unfamiliar, Millstone Power Plant, located in Waterford, is one of New England's last nuclear facilities, supplying up to 37% of our state's power with zero-carbon, low-emission energy.

In 2017, when natural gas was much cheaper, Dominion Energy (the company that owns Millstone) feared they’d be pushed out of the market. That led to the passage of a Republican-led bill, supported by more Republicans than Democrats, requiring Eversource and UI to buy a significant portion of Millstone's energy each year. This bill passed in 2017 with a split vote, locking in these purchases until 2029.

The impact? The Millstone agreement has cost us, on average, $120 million a year. This has kept the plant open, preserving thousands of jobs and maintaining our clean energy output. However, it also accounts for the majority of the recent rate hikes—$605 million out of the $784 million increase was directly linked to this agreement.

Earlier this year, two members of the Public Utility Regulatory Authority's (PURA's) leadership board approved the increase, despite a push by one commissioner to spread it out and avoid the sticker shock we are all now facing.

Here's the thing: We rely heavily on natural gas, and while the Millstone agreement has been beneficial during periods of spiking gas prices, it's generally been a costly deal for consumers. And yet, Republican leadership continues to oppose tougher regulations on Eversource and UI, despite the clear need for accountability.

As your State Representative and a member of the moderate caucus, I've been actively discussing and working on solutions to address our rising energy bills. Here are some of the solutions we're advocating for:

1. Appoint PURA Commissioners with Expertise: We need commissioners who understand infrastructure costs and regional regulatory policy. Recent votes by PURA have led to significant bill increases, often with commissioners voting against the Chair.

2. Encourage Competition: We need to create a roadmap for towns to either leave the Eversource franchise or explore aggregate purchasing, providing alternative solutions to the Eversource monopoly.

3. Revisit Utility Power Generation: Connecticut needs more and diverse power sources to plan for increased consumption. Allowing utilities to generate their own power could be a step in that direction.

4. Public Benefit Policy Review: It’s time to evaluate the cost-benefit analysis of public mandates. We need to determine which should be funded by the General Fund and which by ratepayers to reduce the burden on middle-class families.

5. Ban Future PPAs Without Multistate Solutions: The current Dominion Nuclear Energy PPA places all the cost burden on Connecticut ratepayers while the entire region benefits. Future Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) must include multistate solutions to share the costs fairly.

I've worked hard to pass two bills that strengthen the PURA to hold utilities accountable. These bills have made rate hearings more rigorous and ensured that customer interests are better protected. We've also fought to prohibit utility legal fees, executive pay hikes, lobbying efforts, and charitable contributions from being included in rate increases.

Don't be fooled by political rhetoric. Blaming one party won't solve these complex issues—it's about holding all parties accountable and ensuring that our energy policies serve the people, not just the profits.

Rep. Raghib Allie-Brennan represents the 2nd District in the Connecticut House of Representatives, serving residents of Danbury and Bethel.