Colder temps have people turning up the heat and some worry about a higher electric bill.
The cost of power and where we get it were hot topics on Tuesday with a rally and lawmakers calling for action.
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WATCH HEREProtesters rallied outside an Eversource office in Hartford with concerns about low-income families being hit by rate increases and the reliance on fossil fuels.
“We have to stop the fossil gas expansion,” said Martha Klein, a Sierra Club volunteer.
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SIGN UP In response to the rally, Eversource says it’s working on a goal of moving toward a clean energy future while improving reliability for customers.
Utility companies and others were also facing pushback from Democratic lawmakers.
“Connecticut is at the crossroads when it comes to our energy future. In my opinion, sad to report that we are not meeting the moment, at least not yet,” said Rep. Jonathan Steinberg (D – Westport).
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On Tuesday, Democrats broke down ideas for new energy policies, including to help lower rates.
That includes improved transmission planning, creating more competition, and strengthening oversight through the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA).
In a statement, a spokesperson for Eversource wrote in part:
“We value a consistent, impartial, and predictable regulatory environment and work with strong regulatory bodies that accomplish that in the other states we serve.”
The top House Republican believes Democrats haven’t fully considered GOP proposals, which include restructuring PURA and moving public benefits charges off of electric bills.
“I think it's going to reach a point now where they realize that they've made this problem worse, and they need to start listening to other ideas,” said Rep. Vincent Candelora (R – Minority Leader).
