Connecticut Energy Bill is Vetoed by Governor
The Governor of Connecticut vetoed an energy bill that was pushed through the state house and senate at a rapid pace.
The bill has many components with one of the main points dealing with the structure of Connecticut’s deregulated electricity market. Supporters of the bill noted that Connecticut pays some of the highest electric rates in the country and that the bill would allow incumbent providers CL&P and UI to lower their default rates. These high electric rates are the default rates that CL&P and UI charge customers who do not shop the competitive market for alternative providers offering lower rates.
Any consumer who is upset that the bill did not get passed because they were hoping for lower rates on their bills can still achieve lower rates by shopping for a competitive rate, it’s that simple. Savings versus the utility’s price to compare are out there at the tune of 20%.
By supporting energy deregulation in years past, Connecticut has put themselves in a position to benefit from competition. All they need to do now in order to lower the average consumer’s electric rate is to educate their consumers about deregulation. There is still strong misunderstanding out there about electricity deregulation, and the recent attempt to pass this energy bill does not make any thing clearer for the average consumer.
The fact is that CL&P (Connecticut Light & Power) and UI (United Illuminating) are no longer in the energy supply business, they are solely responsible for the delivering power. They are given the responsibility, by the state, to provide default rates to those customers who do not switch to an alternative supplier. Those who do switch and find a lower rate will see their bills decrease;  the great thing is that their incumbent provider (CL&P or UI) will continue to send them the bills, so the only thing that changes is the rate and amount that they will pay.
Feel free to comment or send us an email with any questions. Electric savings are available in Connecticut.
