State of Connecticut Office of the Attorney General
10/04/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 10/04/2024 15:18
Attorney General Tong Statement on PURA Decision Regarding Rates for Connecticut Natural Gas and Souther Connecticut Gas
Press Releases
10/04/2024
Attorney General Tong Statement on PURA Decision Regarding Rates for Connecticut Natural Gas and Souther Connecticut Gas
(Hartford, CT) - Attorney General William Tong issued a statement regarding the draft decisions issued by the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority to decrease revenue for Connecticut Natural Gas (CNG) customers by $19 million and increase revenue for Southern Connecticut Gas (SCG) customers by $6.2 million. This translates into an approximately 9 percent decrease (approximately $6-7 per month) for CNG ratepayers and a 1.5 percent (approximately $2.20) increase for SCG customers. CNG had sought a $19.7 million increase. SCG had sought a $43 million increase.This week, Yankee Gas signaled it too will seek a rate hike. SCG and CNG are owned by Avangrid. Yankee Gas is owned by Eversource.
"CNG over-collected millions of dollars from Connecticut families, then had the gall to ask for millions more. This was a non-starter. We combed through every cent of CNG and SCG's applications. Both were riddled with unjustified profits and unnecessary expenses. PURA was absolutely right to impose this significant rate decrease for CNG, and to slash SCG's inflated demands. Connecticut families are getting slammed by skyrocketing utility bills right now, and we're going to keep fighting at every step of these proceedings," said Attorney General Tong.
The CNG rate decrease follows an earnings report issued in 2023 showing that CNG over-collected $8 million from Connecticut families and businesses. While half of the over-earning was returned to ratepayers to offset winter heating bills, approximately $4 million was distributed to shareholders. Following that disclosure, Attorney General Tong, Consumer Counsel Claire E. Coleman, Connecticut Industrial Energy Consumers, and the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority Office of Education, Outreach, and Enforcement submitted a joint petition to the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority seeking a new rate hearing to drive down costs for consumers.
Despite the overearning report, both CNG and SCG subsequently submitted applications seeking rate increases.
Attorney General Tong fought against the rate increases on behalf of consumers and businesses, submitting briefs that identified numerous areas where the companies' requests were unjustified and unwarranted, including unnecessary expenses and a proposed return on equity far higher than currently authorized.
Click herefor the CNG brief. Click here for the SCGbrief.
Twitter: @AGWilliamTongFacebook: CT Attorney General
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