A recent headline in the New Haven Register, “Energy Plan Puts Burden on Ratepayers,” (Feb. 22, 2013), presents a misleading and inaccurate impression of Connecticut’s new Comprehensive Energy Strategy. Contrary to the headline, a major focus of the strategy is bringing down the cost of electricity and heating for our state’s residents and businesses.
For too many years, a lack of thoughtful planning has resulted in our state paying some of the highest energy costs in the nation – straining family budgets and placing businesses here at a competitive disadvantage.
The new energy strategy will drive down these costs by: strengthening energy efficiency programs, which lowers people’s bills; encouraging the use of alternative fuel vehicles, such as electric cars; and providing more consumers with the choice of using lower-cost natural gas to heat their homes or businesses.
The natural gas expansion would be financed by the gas utility companies – who would recover costs from charges on the monthly bills of new customers. Even with these charges, however, new natural gas customers will save money every month, given the fact that natural gas is much cheaper than oil and is expected to remain so for many years to come.
Our state’s first-ever energy strategy is a real breakthrough – not a burden – for ratepayers.
Dan Esty
Commissioner, Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection