Connecticut Light and Power Co. has requested to increase customers’ electricity rates to cover the costs associated with the last two year’s five major storms.
The increase, if approved by the Connecticut Public Utilities Regulatory Authority, would increase the typical customer’s bill by $3 a month, according to CL&P. Rates would increase Dec. 1, 2014.
“Responding to Mother Nature”™s wrath is a necessary, but costly part of the utility business,” said Bill Herdegen, CL&P CEO, in a press release. “Typically, storms of this magnitude strike years or decades apart, but in 16 months, we experienced four of the company”™s ten most devastating storms.”
During 2011 and 2012, CL&P reported $462.3 million in recovery costs. The company is seeking $414 million, paid over the course of six years.
The costs of the storms, as reported by CL&P, are listed below.
| Storm | Date | Cost (millions) | Total Customers Restored |
| Nor”™easter | October 2011 | $175.06 | 1,438,797 |
| Superstorm Sandy | 2012 | $156.00 | 856,184 |
| Storm Irene | 2011 | $111.16 | 1,024,032 |
| Major Storm | June 2011 | $10.93 | 209,045 |
| Major Storm | Sept. 2012 | $9.19 | 80,575 |
| Total | $462.3* |  |
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Storms should be expected and I believe it was the responsibility of CL&P to do preventive maint. and they should have all those years before the several storms kept ahead of the tree trimming work. They should also have plans to relocate transformers to higher ground.
It is their job to anticipate….
They had record profits over the years and now it is time for THEM to pay. Not those of us already paying the highest utility costs in the nation.