Connecticut

Pratt & Whitney’s Eddy: Connecticut Ecosystem a ‘National Asset’ » CBIA

Published

2 years ago

January 21, 2024

Pratt & Whitney’s Eddy: Connecticut Ecosystem a ‘National Asset’ » CBIA

In its near 100-year history, East Hartford-based Pratt & Whitney has become one of the world’s leading aerospace manufacturers.

“Every second of every day, a Pratt & Whitney powered aircraft of some kind is either taking off or landing somewhere in the world,” company president Shane Eddy said at CBIA’s 2024 Economic Summit + Outlook Jan. 18 in Hartford.

“We think about technology, we think about how the engine has evolved, and it’s hard not to be impressed.

“But we think about the technology, there’s an equally important part. Those are the factories, it’s the industrial base that is able to produce technology at that scale.

“And that is something no other country in the world can do.”

Eddy said that’s the core of Pratt & Whitney’s business in Connecticut.

‘National Asset’

And that has led to an entire ecosystem and industrial complex in the state.

“It’s a national asset, what we have here,” said Shane Eddy. “It would take generations to replicate, if it could even be replicated.

“But it’s also fragile, and so we’ve got to keep the conditions strong.”

Pratt & Whitney has 11,000 employees in Connecticut, and the company’s impact includes more than one billion dollars in annual supply chain spending in the state.

Eddy credited the state for implementing, and strengthening fiscal guardrails and providing stability for businesses like Pratt & Whitney.

“All the comments about creating the conditions, not only for Pratt & Whitney to continue investing, but for the ecosystem around Pratt & Whitney and our products, are spot on,” he said.

Navigating Change

Eddy said that from the pandemic, to the wars in Eastern Europe and Israel, a lot has changed in the world in recent years.

And, he said a lot has changed for his company as well.

In April 2020, at the outset of the pandemic, what was then United Technologies spun off Otis Elevators and Carrier and merged with Raytheon, becoming RTX.

“What we ended up with at RTX is the most advanced aerospace and defense system provider there is in the world”
Pratt & Whitney’s Shane Eddy

“It was an interesting time to completely overhaul the company,” Eddy said.

Eddy credited RTX CEO Greg Hayes for leading the transition.

Hayes, who is stepping down in May, will be succeeded by Connecticut native and former Pratt & Whitney president Chris Calio.

“What we ended up with at RTX is the most advanced aerospace and defense system provider there is in the world,” he said.

Investing in the Future

Eddy said that Pratt & Whitney has invested a billion dollars in its factories in Connecticut, and plans to continue that investment.

On the military side, Eddy noted that they are “sole sourced on key fighter mobility, tanker, and bomber programs.”

He highlighted the success of their 5th Generation fighter engines, which power the F-19 and F-35 aircraft with stealth capability.

“This stealth capability is going to be even more important for the next generation fighter,” Eddy said.

“We’re also investing in 6th Generation technology for the next generation fighter for the future.”
Eddy

“So while we’re delivering this at scale, and while we’re upgrading this program, we’re also investing in 6th Generation technology for the next generation fighter for the future.”

Along with the success of the military business, Eddy said the backbone of Pratt & Whitney’s commercial growth will be the growing commercial aviation industry.

The company started delivering the geared turbofan engine in 2016.

“I think it’s safe to say they’re the next generation of single aisle,” said Eddy.

The GTF engines run more efficiently and burn less fuel with lower CO2 emissions, and noise footprint than previous engines.

Sustainability

“When you talk about sustainability, this is our first major step in a number of years,” Eddy said.

“It’s also the engine that brought Pratt & Whitney really strongly back into commercial aviation.”

Eddy said sustainability is a focus for the company moving forward.

Pratt & Whitney joined an industry-wide commitment to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

“This is really about scaling the production of sustainable aviation fuel.”
Eddy

While they are developing electric and hybrid engines, Eddy said it’s going to be a while before that is produced at scale.

He said the key to sustainability will be sustainable aviation fuels.

“The total available infrastructure to produce sustainable aviation fuel today is less than one percent of the needs of the industry,” he said.

“So this is really about scaling the production of sustainable aviation fuel.”

Workforce Pipeline

As Pratt & Whitney grows its business in Connecticut, Eddy said the company is investing in its next generation workforce.

“Ensuring that we’ve got the right skills, the knowledge and ability coming into the workforce, I think is incredibly important,” he said.

Eddy said that Pratt & Whitney has developed long-term relationships with organizations like the Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology and schools like Goodwin University and UConn to develop that workforce.

He said they’re also having conversations about starting that development for younger students in grade school and high school.

“We’ve got to make sure that that pipeline is full for everybody involved.”
Eddy
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Eddy said that it’s a little easier for a company like Pratt & Whitney to fill roles.

But he said their goal is to create an ecosystem that benefits everyone in the Connecticut supply chain.

“There are a lot of medium, and in particular small businesses that are part of this ecosystem,” he said.

“And we’ve got to make sure that that pipeline is full for everybody involved.”

Productivity & Growth

Eddy said that as Pratt & Whitney grows, they are also putting an emphasis on productivity, in part due to inflation.

“How we’re dealing with inflation, both in terms of our people and wage and then in terms of our productivity, I think is incredibly important as we’re addressing this growth.”

Eddy said that to improve productivity, they work with employees to help eliminate waste from their jobs.

“Our job as managers and leaders is to understand from them where there’s waste in their job,” he said.

“The people doing the work know it better than anyone else.”
Eddy

“The people doing the work know it better than anyone else.”

Eddy said about half the work done in their factories has a level of automation to it.

They are also using things like analytics to help them reduce costs.

“We’re dipping our toe, I would say, in the water of machine learning and artificial intelligence,” he said.

“And using that to drive forecasting models, help us make sure we’re getting the right signals out to the supply base.”

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Connecticut

CT Lottery Powerball, Lucky For Life winning numbers for Jan. 3, 2026

Published

5 hours ago

January 4, 2026

Press Room

CT Lottery Powerball, Lucky For Life winning numbers for Jan. 3, 2026

The Connecticut Lottery offers several draw games for those willing to make a bet to win big.

Those who want to play in Connecticut can enter the CT Lotto, Lucky for Life and Cash 5 games as well as play the national Powerball and Mega Millions games. There are also two drawings a day for the Play 3 with Wild Ball and Play 4 with Wild Ball games.

Drawings are held at regular days and times, check the end of this story to see the schedule. Here’s a look at Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026 results for each game:

Winning Powerball numbers from Jan. 3 drawing

18-21-40-53-60, Powerball: 23, Power Play: 3

Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Lucky For Life numbers from Jan. 3 drawing

01-02-28-30-43, Lucky Ball: 07

Check Lucky For Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash 5 numbers from Jan. 3 drawing

12-13-16-20-32

Check Cash 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Play3 numbers from Jan. 3 drawing

Day: 5-3-3, WB: 7

Night: 1-8-1, WB: 9

Check Play3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Play4 numbers from Jan. 3 drawing

Day: 3-5-9-4, WB: 4

Night: 7-0-2-6, WB: 4

Check Play4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize

Connecticut Lottery prizes up to $599 can be easily claimed at any authorized CT Lottery Retailer without additional forms or documentation or by mail. For prizes between $600 and $5,000, winners have the option to claim by mail or in person at any CT Lottery High-Tier Claim Center or CT Lottery Headquarters. For prizes between $5,001 and $49,999, winnings must be claimed in person at the Connecticut Lottery headquarters or by mail. All prizes over $50,000 must be claimed in person at CT Lottery Headquarters. Winners are required to bring a government-issued photo ID and their Social Security card.

CT Lottery Claims Dept.

15 Sterling Drive

Wallingford, CT 06492

For additional details, including locations of High-Tier Claim Centers, visit the Connecticut Lottery’s claim information page.

When are the Connecticut Lottery drawings held?

Powerball: 10:59 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
Mega Millions: 11 p.m. on Tuesday and Friday.
Lucky for Life: 10:30 p.m. daily.
Lotto: 10:38 p.m. on Tuesday and Friday.
Cash 5: 10:29 p.m. daily.
Play3 Day: 1:57 p.m. daily.
Play3 Night: 10:29 p.m. daily.
Play4 Day: 1:57 p.m. daily.
Play4 Night: 10:29 p.m. daily.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Connecticut editor. You can send feedback using this form.

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Connecticut

Connecticut leaders react to capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro

Published

17 hours ago

January 3, 2026

Press Room

Connecticut leaders react to capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro

CONNECTICUT (WTNH) — The United States military carried out “large scale” strike inside Venezuela in the early hours of Saturday morning, capturing Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, according to President Donald Trump.

Leaders in Connecticut are responding to the military action.

Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) shared the following statement.

“If we’re starting another endless war, with no clear national security strategy or need, count me out. Maduro is a cruel criminal dictator, but President Trump has never sought approval from Congress for war as the Constitution requires – and our military deserves. We’ve seen several Administrations lead us into conflicts without objectives or timelines and with disastrous consequences. President Trump has also articulated no clear end game to prevent further chaos, violence, and bloodshed in Venezuela. The American people deserve—and Congress should demand—facts and clarity.”

Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) called the strike the start of an “illegal war” between the U.S. and Venezuela.

“President Trump thinks he is above the law. He steals from taxpayers. He thumbs his nose at the law. And now, he is starting an illegal war with Venezuela that Americans didn’t ask for and has nothing to do with our security. How does going to war in South America help regular Americans who are struggling? How does this do anything about drugs entering the U.S. when Venezuela produces no fentanyl? What is the actual security threat to the United States? And what happens next in Venezuela? He cannot answer these questions – and that’s why there was no briefing to Congress to explain this action, and no briefing scheduled. And Maduro’s illegitimate election does not give the president the power to invade without congressional approval, nor does it create a national security justification. That contention is laughable. This is about satisfying Trump’s vanity, making good on the long standing neocon grudge against Maduro, enriching Trump’s oil industry backers, and distracting voters from Epstein and rising costs.”

Rep. Jim Himes (D-Conn.) said the Trump administration acted without congressional approval.

“Maduro is an illegitimate ruler, but I have seen no evidence that his presidency poses a threat that would justify military action without Congressional authorization, nor have I heard a strategy for the day after and how we will prevent Venezuela from descending into chaos. Secretary Rubio repeatedly denied to Congress that the Administration intended to force regime change in Venezuela. The Administration must immediately brief Congress on its plan to ensure stability in the region and its legal justification for this decision.”

State Senate Republican Leader Stephen Harding (R-Conn.) shared that he hopes Maduro is brought to justice, calling him an “integral culprit” in the “narcotic ring” in the United States.

“President Maduro has been an integral culprit in fostering the narcotic ring in our country which has killed far too many Americans. I hope he is brought to justice and we can continue to address the substance abuse crisis that our state and country continues to face.

The Chairman of the Connecticut Republican Party Ben Proto shared the following statement.

“President Trump promised to stop the flow of drugs into the US that have been killing millions of Americans. Nicolas Maduro, who declared himself President, while getting about 30% of the vote in the last so called free election in Venezuela, was given multiple warnings to stop the flow of drugs from his country into America, was offered help by the Trump administration in stopping the flow, but he continued to, not only allow the flow of drugs, but condone it and profit from it. Presidents have long used their constitutional authority to intervene in other countries when those countries posed a danger to America and Americans. President Trump did just that. Unfortunately Democrats, particularly Jim Himes, Chris Murphy and Dick Blumenthal are more interested in playing politics than in protecting Americans. Nearly 1,000 Connecticut residents died from drug overdoses in 2024 and we have seen an increase in overdoses in 2025. If only Democrats cared as much about Americans as they do about a drug lord running another country who profits from the death of Americans.“

Rep. Jahana Hayes (D-Conn.) demanded that Congress must be briefed before further action.

“As information about U.S military strikes in Venezuela unfold, I have more questions than answers. Nicolas Maduro is a brutal dictator who caused so much harm to his people. However, as Americans we must seriously weigh the consequences of attacking a sovereign nation and committing to “run Venezuela.” Congress must be briefed immediately, before this situation continues to escalate. I will comment further as credible information becomes available to Members of Congress.“

Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) shared the following statement, claiming that there could be “severe repercussions for American interests.”

“President Trump’s unilateral decision to attempt a regime change operation in Venezuela by using military force to capture Nicolas Maduro and declaring, ‘we will run the country’, threatens global order and is a fundamental violation of the Constitution, which gives Congress the responsibility of authorizing major military actions that could have severe repercussions for American interests.

“America’s unprecedented global strength and prosperity was built on this principle of restraining military force through democratic bodies like Congress. President Trump has shredded this principle, and along with it has destroyed American credibility and emboldened our adversaries to act with similar aggression. This new foreign policy that President Trump and his advisors have used to justify this act of war, including invoking the 200-year-old Monroe Doctrine as a justification for America to do whatever it pleases in the Western Hemisphere, is the exact same reasoning that China would use to justify invading Taiwan, and which Russia has used to assault Ukraine.

“President Trump has also now threatened Cuba with similar language, and is preparing a giant corrupt giveaway to oil companies by claiming that the United States will acquire Venezuela’s oil. This is corruption of the highest order. Maduro was an authoritarian who stayed in power despite the will of the people, but that does not justify the United States in starting a war to benefit some of the world’s wealthiest corporations.

“President Trump did all of this without the consent of Congress, and without providing any details or day-after plans. The full consequences of this act of war will not be known for some time, and they may require putting American boots on the ground in Venezuela, as the President has said he was prepared to do. The American people do not want to be dragged into another endless conflict distracting from the rising cost of living and the affordability crisis. Whatever happens next, the responsibility will be squarely with President Trump and his contempt for the Constitution and for Congress.”

Rep. John Larson (D-Conn.) echoed the statements of his fellow Democrats.

“This is yet another authoritarian power grab by Donald Trump. As he indicated in his address, it’s clear it’s about the oil!!! And securing that oil!!! And securing it with the use of our brave men and women in the United States military!!! The Constitution entrusts Congress, not the President, with the power to declare war for a reason. It’s Congress’s responsibility to decide whether the nation goes to war or not! That’s why I’m joining with others in calling on the President to immediately brief Congress—and for Congress to assert its authority under the Constitution and the War Powers Act—to let this President know he does not have the authority to unilaterally commit our country to yet another endless war.“

This is a developing story. Stay with News 8 for updates.

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