Maria Horn

This is my State Capitol update for the week of March 7. 

If you prefer to watch rather than read, click the image below to hear about the issues contained in this newsletter.

I learned a lot from both.  As we in the legislature wrestle with the structural issues that create high costs in CT, there are several programs consumers can take advantage of that can lower your energy bills right now.

• Check the rate you are paying.  If you, like many, switched to a third-party supplier to get a better rate (possibly when energy costs peaked in 2022 and 2023), you may be overpaying today.  In the bills I reviewed, those who switched ended up locking in at a high rate: the standard service rate per kilowatt hour (kwh) that Eversource offers (note that this is a pure pass-through charge for them) has come down from that peak, but at least some third-party suppliers never lowered the rate they were charging ratepayers, even though they were offering much lower rates to new customers. Thanks to legislation we passed in the last term, you can switch suppliers easily.  Visit the Energize CT’s Supplier Rate Finder to compare current rates.
• Check your energy usage. Energy usage goes up when it’s particularly cold or hot, if you start charging an EV at home, or over the holidays when more people are around, for example.  It can also go up when your home is energy inefficient.  I was very surprised to see usage numbers rise dramatically over the years in some of the bills I reviewed, some increasing by 50% year to year with no explanation.  Energize CT can help here by providing a home energy assessment.  If your home has not had an energy audit in the past six years, you are likely eligible to have an expert come to your home, make improvements that day and written recommendations for the future, for low ($75) to no (if you are income eligible) cost. 
  
  • To apply as an Eversource customer use this link or call 1-877-WISE-USE. To fill out the application to get an energy assessment you will need basic information such as address, primary type of heat (electric, gas, etc.), and current heating system.

• Check your solar array if you have one.  The energy generated by your solar array appears on your Eversource bill, and it’s a good idea to take a look at the energy generated over the period it’s been at work, to see how it has performed over time. Solar generation is of course dependent upon weather (there tend to be fewer sunny days in December; and snow in the winter months blocks their utility, for example), but it would be worth talking to your provider to make sure the system is working as intended.
• Public benefits charge has increased over time, but we expect it to go down in May. The charge has varied over time, depending on what’s in it.  Right now, the per kwh charge is about 3 times what it was two years ago – on recent bills I looked at, it comprised about 10% of the total bill. Most of that charge (75%) is due to our long-term contract with the Millstone nuclear power plant, which generates 40% of CT’s power. This contract reduces costs when other energy costs spike (as they did in 2022 and 2023), but it can be costly when other energy costs come down, as they have since.  The rest of the charge is mostly due to a program that prevented hardship shut offs during the pandemic. That program has been closed, those who benefited are all now on payment plans, and this charge should be removed from your bill in May.
  
  • Note that this is also a unit-based charge – in other words, efficiency will reduce this part of your bill, too. Energy efficiency is the biggest lever we can pull that helps everyone.
• A future risk to costs is the 10% tariffs the federal administration is levying on Canadian energy.  CT purchases energy from Canada, both directly and indirectly, and the new federal tariffs are likely to producer higher gasoline, electricity, home heating and car prices if the tariffs go into effect

And, finally, don’t forget to “spring forward” one hour early Sunday morning when daylight savings time begins again. Though it will make for dark mornings, it is at least a sign that spring will eventually come!  

• Job Assistance Available for Displaced Federal Workers. Click here.
• HB 5003 - Early Childhood and Education Fund. Click here.
• Home Energy Audits. Click here. 
• Eversource to Trim Trees from Helicopters to Help Ensure Reliable Power for Customers. Click here. 
• Public Hearing Schedule. Click here.
• ICYMI - Women's Business Development Council Now Accepting Grant Applications. Click here.
• Events in the Northwest Corner. Click here. 

This proposal builds upon Public Act 24-91, passed unanimously last year, and signed by the Governor, which established the Early Childhood Care and Education Fund. Investing in early childhood care and education produces better educational, health, social, and economic outcomes, driving increased revenue while reducing the need for costly spending.

Connecticut is home to approximately 181,000 children under the age of five, with 73% of these young children receiving care outside the home while their parents work.

By providing targeted funding and expanding access to childcare, H.B. 5003 will put more money back into our economy by opening new opportunities for stay-at-home parents to re-enter the workforce. This is not just an investment in childcare—it is an investment in the children of Connecticut and the prosperity of our state.

• Sharon, CT:  RT 362
• Salisbury: Indian Mt Rd, RT 41, RT 112, Wells Hill, Salmon Kill Rd, Dugway Rd, Warren Turnpike, RT 126, RT 7, RT 63, Under Mountain Rd. 
• Cornwall: Hautboy Hill Rd.
• Goshen: Holmes RD, Ivy Mt, RT 4, Pie Hill Rd, East St, Weed Rd, Highland Ave, RT 202.
• Torrington: Richard Rd, S. Main St. 

DATES: 3/10/2025- 3/15/2025, weather permitting
 
DESCRIPTION OF AIRCRAFT: Color: White/ Orange w/ White Stripe / Tail #: N173AL / Type: MD500          
     
FLIGHT TIMES: 7:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., weather permitting.
 
LANDING AREAS: The following areas will be used for landing and refueling efforts:

• 155 Lime Rock Rd, Salisbury
• 317 Salmon Kill Rd, Salisbury
• 40 Lower Rd, Canaan
• 155 Huntsville, S. Canaan Rd
• 48 Torrington Rd, Goshen

The Ignite Grant Program offers grants of up to $10,000 for local women-owned businesses. To qualify, business must:

• Be in operation for at least two years
• Have annual revenues between $25,000 and $2 million.

The application will remain open through Monday, March 10. Learn more about the Ignite Grant HERE.   

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Maria Horn
State Representative