Sen. Martin Pushes to Eliminate Public Benefits Charge as PURA Commissioner Nominations Approved

Watch Sen. Martin’s remarks here.

Senate Republican Leader Pro Tem Henri Martin (R-Bristol) yesterday echoed the concerns of utility customers across Connecticut, emphasizing the need to fully eliminate the controversial public benefits charge on electric bills, which has contributed to the state’s nation-leading electricity costs.

Sen. Martin raised the issue as a member of the Executive and Legislative Nominations Committee, which held a March 5 public hearing to consider Gov. Ned Lamont’s Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) commissioner nominees.

“Utility bills are the top concern for people in my district and across the state. It is the top conversation wherever I go. We know that it will take us more than 10 years to meaningfully increase our energy supply to drive down costs. If you look at the energy demands that are in front of us, we’re really going to need to find a way to accomplish this.

“If we want to help Eversource and United Illuminating customers, the only thing that we can do immediately is to move public benefits fees to the state budget, to compete against all the other demanding services that we as lawmakers consider on behalf of our residents,” he said.

The committee approved the nominations of former State Rep. Holly Cheeseman of East Lyme; energy policy professor Janice Beecher of New Britain; investor Everett Smith of Greenwich; and attorney Thomas Wiehl of Madison. Pending the General Assembly’s full approval, the appointments would fully restore PURA’s five-member board that regulates electric rates affecting customers statewide.

PURA has largely operated with only three members during the governor’s tenure, and was reduced to two members following the October resignation of Chairwoman Marissa Gillett amid controversy and repeated calls from legislative Republicans for her to step down.

Connecticut’s electricity rates remain among the highest in the nation, ranking in the top three to five states since the beginning of 2026.

Sen. Martin and Senate Republicans in February offered an affordability package of legislative proposals that includes cutting all public benefits charges from electric bills and moving them to the state budget process.