Eversource has re-evaluated its policy of charging hundreds of dollars in natural gas reactivation fees to Connecticut homeowners replacing their crumbling basements, and will no longer do so.
Eversource had been charging fees between $800 and $2100 for the reactivations.
The utility explains reactivations can be complex, require multiple employees, and excavations, yet recognizes people with crumbling basements have unique circumstances.
Eversource will also reimburse homeowners who already paid the fee.
The Connecticut Foundation Solutions Indemnity Company, or CFSIC, which runs a state program helping people replace their crumbling basements, says Eversource has been charging the fees the past six to seven weeks, to roughly 20 of the homeowners it has been assisting.
CFSIC Superintendent Mike Maglaras says his program had been paying the fee for the homeowners it has been assisting, but the decision by Eversource to discontinue the fee “…is great news because now we can spend more of our limited resources on other costs associated with replacing a crumbling basement.
Congressman Joe Courtney, whose district includes many of the towns with homeowners struggling with concrete basements, released the following statement:
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“Kudos to Vice Chairman John Betkoski at the state Public Utilities Regulatory Authority [PURA] for working with Eversource to take prompt action to end charging disconnection fees to homeowners who are repairing crumbling foundations…PURA met with Eversource today, and secured an agreement to cease this practice. I spoke with PURA earlier this week after news reports first broke on this situation, and encouraged them to carry out the mission of the agency: to protect consumers from unforeseen disasters and charges. I’m glad to see they turned around and got the job done.”
