Niemynski: Connecticut's Electric Rate Crisis: A Call for Action

 

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Submitted by Kristy Niemynski, Greenwich Resident

Connecticut ratepayers—millions of residents, retirees, and small businesses—are reeling from skyrocketing electricity bills, often as high as a car or rent payment. At the heart of this issue lies the now more apparent "Public Benefits" charge on your bill. This is a tax, no matter what anyone else attempts to call it.

For most reasonable people, this is the final straw in a state already burdened with one of the highest costs of living. Decades of progressive Democrat policies have led us here, and the public has had enough. They want this crisis addressed now. As a consumer and electric ratepayer, so do I.

Moratorium Madness:

I've heard from hundreds of constituents, and their outrage is palpable, particularly because of Governor Lamont's four-year moratorium on electricity shutoffs for delinquent payments. This policy is absurd and contributes significantly to the burden we're all paying for. Hardworking people are being forced to subsidize those who don't pay their bills. Does this sound familiar? It should.

This is classic progressive Democrat governance: taxing some to benefit others, all to secure political favor. Taxpayers—now ratepayers—are being exploited. The fury over this portion of the Public Benefits charge should serve as a wake-up call, revealing the broader issue of how funds are redistributed without transparency.

Progressive Policy Failures:

The Public Benefits charge isn't just about the moratorium; it also funds rebates and various clean energy programs. While the overall cost of these programs is a concern, what's truly egregious is how many have been enacted by bypassing the proper legislative process. These costs should be debated openly and included (or not) in the state budget, and not quietly tacked onto our electric bills as hidden taxes.

The Democrat majority party, always seeking ways to circumvent spending limits, has found a way to conceal these taxes. Hidden charges like these—on your phone bill, your home insurance, and now your electric bill—must be eliminated and subjected to public scrutiny. No one has been more outspoken than I have at our state capitol in the fight against taxes—especially hidden ones.

PURA's Role:

The Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA), which approves rate increases, is composed of five individuals appointed by Democrat Gov. Ned Lamont. Currently, there are three Democrats on the board and no Republicans, with two vacant seats. It's crucial to note that Republicans did not have a say in PURA's recent decisions, including the approval of higher rates.

This drastic jump in your electric bill was preventable. PURA, composed of unelected bureaucrats, voted against a more gradual phase-in, opting instead to impose these burdensome charges all at once. We're told these staggering bills will return to "normal" after the Public Benefits costs are recouped in 10 months. I don’t buy it, and you shouldn’t either. Within weeks of bills doubling, PURA approved another $80 million increase for electric vehicle charging infrastructure—an unbelievable slap in the face.

This circumstance is emblematic of how the progressive Democrat majority in Hartford operates. They’ve systematically shifted power away from our representative system, centralizing authority in unelected bureaucracies that lack accountability. This trend, championed by Democrats, should raise alarms for every citizen. Governor Malloy’s decision to dismantle the independent watchdog, the Department of Public Utility Control, and replace it with PURA—a partisan state agency—was a serious misstep. What was once an objective oversight body has become a political instrument, pushing through green energy and climate change initiatives with minimal public input. I voted against this move in 2011 and have continued to introduce legislation to reverse it.

The Millstone Myth:

Facing backlash for their own policy failures, Democrat lawmakers are now desperately trying to shift the blame. Their latest tactic? Pointing to a bipartisan bill from 2017 to accuse Republicans of causing the current electricity rate crisis.

The 2017 bill allowed Eversource and UI to purchase power from the Millstone Nuclear Power Plant at a fixed cost over 10 years. At the time, it was a practical move to secure reliable, low-cost energy for ratepayers. However, market fluctuations have since led to additional costs, now reflected in the Public Benefits charge on your electric bill. In a disingenuous move, Democrats are trying to pin these costs on Republicans.

Overall, the Millstone agreement has been largely beneficial, providing substantial clean power at an affordable rate. The Democrats' attempt to deflect responsibility is a clear sign of their own failures. Do they now regret keeping Millstone operational? Why didn’t they act sooner to address price fluctuations or reform PURA’s role?

What Democrats conveniently ignore is their near-total dominance of Connecticut's government for almost 50 years. Since 2011, they have controlled the House, Senate, and Governor's Office, making it impossible for any legislation to pass without their approval. To dredge up an eight-year-old bipartisan bill and blame Republicans is a blatant distortion of the truth.

A striking example of this hypocrisy is the Democrat Senate Majority Leader, who recently took to the radio airwaves to blame Republicans for the very bill he voted for. Of the Republicans who supported the bill, only twenty-eight remain in office today, and many legislators from both parties opposed it—including me.

It’s crucial to remember that Democrats established the framework that led to this situation, mandating certain percentages of "green" energy. If not for the Millstone deal, we could be facing even higher costs from wind and solar energy.

In short, Democrats’ attempt to blame Republicans for the current rate crisis is nothing but political spin, ignoring their own long-standing control over Connecticut’s government.

The Republican Relief Solution:

For at least the past two years, my Republican colleagues and I have proposed solutions to prevent this situation. Last month, we stood together once again, calling for a special session to address these exorbitant charges. We were ignored.

Here’s the most obvious solution: We need a special legislative session immediately. Democrats frequently convene emergency sessions for non-emergencies; now we have a real crisis.

First, we must address the immediate problem of preventing these excessive charges from appearing on future electric bills. We are exploring ways to do so without imposing new taxes, possibly using the rainy-day fund, leftover federal ARPA funds, or the state’s claimed surplus.

Second, we need to change our policies going forward and completely eliminate hidden taxes from electric bills. Finally, we must limit the extra costs associated with clean energy initiatives. While it makes sense to increase the use of renewable energy, it shouldn’t come at four or five times the cost of traditional energy sources.

I stand ready to work with my colleagues in a special session to implement these solutions or any other reasonable measures that help the people of Connecticut. I urge the Governor and Democrats to join us in addressing this crisis now.