Labor, Environmental Groups Fight Proposed CL&P Rate Hikes

The new year could bring higher electrical rates for Connecticut Light & Power customers and some opponents are meeting Monday night to fight it.

A coalition of labor and environmental groups are meeting with state regulators in the evening to talk about their concerns about the proposal to raise fixed CL&P rates rates by 26 percent. That would cost customers an average of $18 more each month or about $200 more every year.

While that may encourage customers to conserve energy, they may also want to raise the base price for service, which means customers would be charged more before turning on a switch.

CL&P has said that the power company needs the money to respond to storms and prevent outages.

But lawmakers like Gov. Dannel Malloy are also pushing back on the possible rate hikes. A decision on approving the new rates is slated for next month.

Standard service rates for residential customers and small businesses are also increasing. The Public Utilities Regulatory Authority approved the rate hike Monday, which will cost customers an average of $18.47 more per month.

Monday night's meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. at the Machinists Union Hall in East Hartford.

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