{news} Consumers protest rising energy costs

Thu Feb 1 08:41:28 EST 2007

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Consumers protest rising energy costs 
Angela Carter, Register Staff
02/01/2007
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     Jim Duarte of New Haven, dressed as a shark, mingles with a crowd protesting United Illuminating's high electric rates in Hartford Wednesday. Arnold Gold/Register (Buy Register photos)<http://nhregister.mycapture.com/mycapture/index.asp>   

-HARTFORD - A grass-roots consumer group rallied at the entrance of the Legislative Office Building Wednesday, demanding immediate reform to the state's electricity delivery system during the current session. 

The "Fight the Hike" coalition traveled to Hartford by bus and several members expressed disappointment that few legislators spoke with them during their lobbying trip.

"The bottom line is - these folks aren't listening," said Mike DeRosa, a coalition member and co-chairman of the Connecticut Green Party. He opposed deregulation when it was approved by the General Assembly in 1998.

Fight the Hike was joined by state Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, state Sen. Leonard Fasano, R-North Haven, state Rep. Vickie Orsini Nardello, D-Prospect, and New Haven Alderman Robert Lee, D-11, of the Foxon neighborhood.

Blumenthal reiterated proposals he made in 2006 for windfall profits refunds and a Connecticut Electric Authority that would build and operate power plants and return money to consumers. He said legislators need to "feel the heat" of consumer anger over skyrocketing utility rates.

"Take back control. That's the message we have to take to the legislators," he said. "We're going to carry on the fight as long and as hard as necessary and I will be there with you ... all around the state."

The state Department of Public Utility Control last month approved a phased-in rate increase of 24 percent on Jan. 1 and another 25 percent over the remainder of 2007 for UI's residential customers.

DPUC also allowed Connecticut Light & Power Co., the state's largest electric utility, to raise rates by 7.7 percent starting Jan. 1, on top of a 22 percent increase that took effect last year for CL&P customers.

Anita Steeves, communications specialist for The United Illuminating Co., observed the rally and said afterward that state laws must change to make rate relief a reality.

Steeves said UI would like more flexibility in the procurement process, so the company can enter contracts with longer terms and therefore at lower costs, or be allowed to once again generate power locally.

"Everybody agrees prices are too high. I think we should put all the options out there and look at everything and see what works best for the customers," she said.

Meanwhile, the General Assembly's Energy and Technology Committee voted Wednesday to consider several bills aimed at energy reforms. A public hearing is set for Feb. 13 but the specific LOB meeting room was not yet available.

"I share your frustration," said Nardello, a member of the energy committee. "We need to go back to having state control of the generation in Connecticut."

Senate Majority Leader Martin Looney, D-New Haven, said there would be negotiations and revisions around the bills. "We're looking to the energy committee to give us a vehicle we can work with," he said.

In an attempt to meet with Gov. M. Jodi Rell, four Fight the Hike members instead met with her policy counsel, Philip Dukes, because Rell was formulating her budget proposal at the governor's mansion.

"We've seen no action from the legislature for us to even join in with," Dukes said, adding that components of the governor's energy plan will be reflected in the budget package she unveils next Wednesday.

Lee and Frank Panzarella, a Fight the Hike founder, told Dukes they do not want the governor to reappoint any DPUC commissioners whose terms may expire this year. Dukes said the governor recommends people for appointments that are confirmed by the legislature.

When Wendy Hamilton, also a coalition member, asked for citizen participation in the appointment process, Dukes said Rell is proposing to add two advocate seats on the commission, one for citizens and another for businesses.

"The governor's been swinging with both hands to get DPUC to slow down the increases," Dukes said.

The group gave Dukes petition sheets with 1,700 names of ratepayers who want a moratorium on rate increases. Lee, Panzarella and DeRosa continued to push for a future meeting with Rell and Dukes suggested they call her office again and request an appointment.

"We don't care when it is. She can pick the day, we'll show up," Lee said.

"I want to leave on the note we really do understand how this is affecting people," Dukes said. 

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