Sens. Fazio & Harding Statement on Staff Changes at CT PURA

Sen. Ryan Fazio, Ranking Senator on the Energy and Technology Committee and Senate Republican Leader Stephen Harding today released the following statement in response to the governor announcing that Connecticut’s Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) Vice Chairman John W. “Jack” Betkoski III will be stepping down from the authority at the end of the year and that former Democrat State Rep. and current United Illuminating employee David Arconti has been appointed as a new PURA Commissioner.

“Electricity costs in Connecticut are too damn high. We hear that every day from Connecticut families and job creators. Irrespective of the merits of today’s staff changes, we still need to address the underlying policies that Republicans have repeatedly highlighted in order to bring long-term rate reduction and stability for consumers.

Republicans also believe Connecticut must restructure the state bureaucracy to reflect common practice in other states by separating the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP), the policy-making agency, and PURA, the adjudicatory agency. We need checks and balances.

Republicans also believe the Governor should make his final — and overdue — appointment to PURA with an eye toward bipartisanship. Arconti’s appointment only exacerbates the Authority’s already imbalanced partisan makeup, with three Democrats and just one Republican. Either we should reduce the total membership to three under state law or the governor should fully appoint five members, three Democrats and two Republicans, to the commission. Additionally, having four members could challenge the functionality of the commission by creating tie votes that add to uncertainty for our state.

Meanwhile, failure to act on the policy front is adding to the uncertainty over the cost and grid reliability. Let’s work together to bring down electricity costs, give consumers confidence in our regulatory structure, and ensure we have a reliable electric grid for decades to come.”

During the 2024 legislative session, Republicans offered an amendment – which was voted down by the Democrat majority – which sought to do the following:
1. limit all future Power Purchase Agreements so that no contract can be for more than 150% over the wholesale electric market price
2. redefine Class I renewable energy sources to include all forms of hydropower and all nuclear power to lower the cost of renewable energy sources and bring relief for ratepayers
3. separate the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection and PURA
4. study ways to increase natural gas supply in the New England region
5. study moving public policy charges off of ratepayer bills and into the budget