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Eversource seeks 11% rate hike for Connecticut residents by next summer

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Eversource seeks 11% rate hike for Connecticut residents by next summer


HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) — Eversource customers in Connecticut may see a double-digit rate hike next summer.

The electric company filed a letter of intent on Wednesday seeking a rate hike of about 11% across all customer classes and about 13% for residential customers. If the distribution rate is approved as proposed, it would begin on July 1, 2027.

A spokesperson for Eversource said the letter of intent details an annual operating revenue deficiency of about $503 million, not including storm costs between 2018 and 2023.

The economy, inflation, supply chain challenges and other factors increased equipment costs and materials across the utility industry, according to Eversource.

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To maintain the level of “affordable reliability and resiliency” customers expect, an increased investment is needed, an Eversource spokesperson said.

Read the full letter of intent below:

The letter of intent is the first step in requesting that regulators review and adjust distribution rates to reflect the modern cost of maintaining electric systems and services.

Eversource Spokesperson Sarah Paduano’s full statement on Wednesday read:

“Today we submitted a letter of intent (LOI) to file a distribution rate review for our electric operations – the first in nearly a decade. Over the last 10 years, customers have experienced increased reliability as a direct result of our strategic investments in the electric system, and increased investment is needed to maintain the level of affordable reliability and resiliency that customers have come to expect. 

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The LOI is standard procedure and submitted prior to filing the actual rate review application. This is the first step in the process to request regulators review and adjust current distribution rates to better reflect the cost of maintaining the electric system and safely delivering power to customers across Connecticut. Our LOI details an operating revenue deficiency of approximately $503 million annually, which excludes 2018-2023 storm costs. If approved as proposed, the average increase would be approximately 11% across all customer classes and approximately 13% for residential customers starting July 1, 2027.

Our storm costs are currently being evaluated by PURA in a separate docket, and we are hopeful regulators will authorize securitization for those costs, which is a specialized financing method that will allow those costs to be recovered over a much longer timeframe of 20 years and at a lower interest rate compared to the traditional six year recovery. If securitization is approved, this will substantially lower bill impacts for customers and allow us to keep the full amount of storm costs from our rate review application.

Connecticut Attorney General William Tong released the following statement Wednesday in response to the proposed rate increase:

“Connecticut families are getting crushed by unaffordable energy costs while Eversource executives crow to Wall Street over surging profits and rake in multimillion dollar bonuses. But they choose now to demand hundreds of millions of dollars more. Why? Because after years of litigation and lobbying, they finally ran their chief regulator out of town. They want a rate hike now not because they need one, but because they think they can get away with it. We’re going to scrutinize every profit, every bonus, every perk and every padded expense in their application and we’re going to be fighting for Connecticut families and small businesses at every step of this process.”

Paduano said there are no CEO, CFO, or company president salaries or variable pay included in the proposed rate request.

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Consumer Counsel Claire E. Coleman also released the following statement on Wednesday on the rate filing:

“A letter of intent is the first step in the rate case process, where a company notifies regulators that it intends to seek a rate increase. Eversource will now have up to 60 days to file a full application, formally triggering what is expected to be one of the most consequential utility review proceedings in years. Once filed, OCC will aggressively scrutinize the company’s request, conduct discovery, cross examine Eversource witnesses, and present recommendations to PURA to ensure customers are not asked to pay for anything beyond the most necessary and cost-effective investments. My office will prioritize keeping  costs as low as possible for consumers already struggling with affordability challenges, while promoting critical infrastructure, cybersecurity, consumer protections, and overall system reliability. Because Eversource has not undergone a rate review since 2018, this case will provide the first real opportunity in years to thoroughly examine the company’s operations, spending decisions, and priorities under a microscope. This process will also provide multiple opportunities for members of the public, community organizations, and elected officials to participate through public hearings and written comments submitted into the record. OCC strongly encourages consumers to stay engaged throughout the proceeding and to visit our website or contact our office directly for information on how to participate.”


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Connecticut

Police investigating double homicide in Hartford

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Police investigating double homicide in Hartford


Police are investigating a double homicide in the Frog Hollow section of Hartford, officials said.

According to officials, police were notified by citizens of a large fight that happened on Madison Street near Zion Cemetery just after 7 p.m. When officers got to the scene, they found a man in his 30s unresponsive and suffering from a stab wound.

The man was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.

While at the scene, investigators learned that two others were taken to an area hospital via private car.

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One of them was another man in his 30s suffering from a gunshot wound and was in critical condition. He was later pronounced dead. A 17-year-old was the second one taken to the hospital via private car, but his injuries were non-life-threatening, officials said.

According to officials at the scene, investigators do not believe the public is in danger and are reviewing surveillance footage in the area as part of the investigation.

Neither man has been identified by officials at this time.

No arrests have been made at this time, police said.

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Immigrant advocates urge Connecticut to prepare after Supreme Court TPS ruling

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Immigrant advocates urge Connecticut to prepare after Supreme Court TPS ruling


Immigrant advocates in Connecticut are calling on state leaders to prepare for the possible loss of legal protections for thousands of people after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the Trump administration can move forward with ending Temporary Protected Status, or TPS, for Haitians and Syrians.

TPS is a federal program that allows people from countries facing war, natural disasters or other extraordinary conditions to live and work legally in the United States. The Trump administration has argued that conditions in some countries have improved enough that the protections are no longer necessary.

For organizations that work with immigrants, however, the ruling has triggered fear and uncertainty.

“The Haitian community, in particular, is reeling,” said Maggie Mitchell-Salem, executive director of Integrated Refugee and Immigrant Services, commonly known as IRIS.

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Mitchell-Salem said the number of Syrians affected by the decision is much smaller than the number of Haitians nationwide, but she argued that the impact goes beyond statistics. Her organization has led resettlement efforts for Syrian refugees in Connecticut since the federal government offered TPS status amid the Syrian civil war in 2012.

“Numbers don’t matter,” she said. “A single person being impacted by inhumane racist immigration policies is a person who’s impacted, and we should care.”

A community preparing for uncertainty

Mitchell-Salem said immigrant advocacy groups and local officials are already discussing how to help families who could face difficult decisions if the Trump administration decides to end TPS protections.

Among the biggest concerns are families that could be separated if parents lose their legal status or face deportation.

“We’re working with municipalities, with any community leaders that we can, who are coming up with plans on what to do to help individuals here,” she said.

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She urged families whose immigration status may be at risk to create preparedness plans and designate trusted relatives or friends who could care for children if necessary.

The state of Connecticut has one on their website,” she said. “We urge everyone who has a family situation that is no longer stable to fill that out.”

Looking to Massachusetts as a model

Mitchell-Salem said Connecticut should consider following the example set by Massachusetts leaders, who responded to the Supreme Court ruling by holding a press conference, reassuring TPS holders of their rights, announcing legal clinics and creating an emergency response fund.

“What I think is beautiful about what Massachusetts did is that it signaled you are valued, you are part of our community, and we care about you,” she said. “For that, I would love to see Connecticut do something similar.”

At the same time, she cautioned that there are limits to what states can do if federal protections ultimately end.

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“I think the state of Connecticut is right to really think about what remedies are truly possible,” Mitchell-Salem said.

Warning against scams

Mitchell-Salem said one of her organization’s biggest concerns is that desperate immigrants could become targets for fraud.

“What we’re most concerned about is that because people will be so desperate that there are those that will take advantage of them,” she said.

IRIS has been posting information in English, Haitian Creole and Arabic warning immigrants that there are “no magic solutions” and encouraging them to seek advice only from trusted legal organizations and immigration attorneys.

A call to action

Mitchell-Salem said the Supreme Court’s decision should prompt action not only from government officials but also from the public.

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“Flood congressional phone banks, call Congress every single day, tell them what you think,” she said. “Get your friends in states that are less blue than Connecticut to do the same.”

She said public pressure has altered the course of other administration policies and could again influence federal immigration decisions.

“This isn’t an issue that’s just a blip that’s going to go away,” Mitchell-Salem said.





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Lamont signs law in Norwich to stop pay to contractors violating wages

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Lamont signs law in Norwich to stop pay to contractors violating wages


Connecticut is taking a step to make sure workers are paid fairly.

On June 30, Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont signed Public Act 26-17, which enables the State Comptroller to issue a stop work order and withhold state funds to contractors that are not properly paying their employees.

The bill was signed on the construction site for Greeneville Elementary School, which is one of the four new elementary schools being built in Norwich. The State of Connecticut is reimbursing the city for 80% of the project, and the law applies to “any place where the state is making a payment,” Lamont said.

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Wage theft can take many forms

It matters because wage theft can take many forms, from money taken from base pay, to money not given in benefits, Kimberly Glassman, director of compliance and government affairs for the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 478, said.

Local 478 also has a presence in the Norwich school building project, with 10 to 20 union members working at each site daily, Glassman said.

What do state leaders think of the Greeneville site’s progress?

Lamont is impressed with how quickly the work is going.

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“They told me that the walls went up in the last two weeks, so a lot of progress is happening,” he said.

During the bill signing, Norwich Mayor Swarnjit Singh touted the importance of using union labor and the value of project labor agreements.

“We are on time and on budget,” he said.

After the bill signing, Singh said its possible the Greeneville School building could be complete as soon as the first quarter of 2027, he said.

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“They’re not wasting any time,” Singh said.

State Rep. Derrel Wilson attended the original Greeneville School as a kid, and still lives in Greeneville. He was credited as being one of the driving forces for getting the workers bill passed.

“It’s exciting seeing this revitalization for our neighborhood, seeing active construction and watching individuals rebuild our community,” Wilson said.



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