What's new
Connecticut is at a crossroads. Nearly a decade after deregulating our
electric system, electric bills are skyrocketing, our energy planning
is in disarray, and the power companies are trying to use the crisis as
an excuse to build new polluting, expensive power plants.
The Legislature will pass major energy legislation in the coming
months. They have an opportunity to commit Connecticut to a new energy
future that uses our technological know-how to reduce our dependence on
expensive fossil fuels while also protecting our environment and
economy. The key is to require utilities to invest in smart solutions
to our energy crisis by first using all cost-effective energy
efficiency and clean energy options to meet our energy needs before
spending money on new expensive fossil fuel power plants.
How You Can Help
Please e-mail your legislator and ask him or her to support smart energy solutions for Connecticut that focus on energy efficiency and clean energy.
Brief summary
Connecticut is at an energy crossroads. Nearly a decade after the
Legislature chose to gamble with our energy future by deregulating our
electric system, electric bills are skyrocketing, our energy planning
is in disarray and Connecticut is still dependent on old, polluting,
inefficient fossil fuel power plants.
In the 1990s, power companies said electric deregulation would user in
an era of lower electric rates and efficient, cleaner energy.
Unfortunately, things didn’t work out the way they said they would.
Electricity rates have risen steadily, and our oldest, dirtiest, most
costly power plants continue to provide most of Connecticut’s energy.
In the meantime, the state has relied on haphazard energy planning that
has failed to take advantage of opportunities to provide cleaner,
lower-cost energy for our families and businesses.
Connecticut needs a new approach that focuses on long-term energy
planning that requires utilities to purchase lower-cost energy,
starting with all available cost-effective energy efficiency resources.
Energy efficiency investments save Connecticut ratepayers four dollars
for every dollar invested. After energy efficiency, utilities should be
required to purchase all cost-effective clean energy. Building new
power plants that burn coal and other fossil fuels is the least
efficient and most polluting solution to meet our energy needs, and
utilities should be required to do so only as an option of last resort.
