Gov. Ned Lamont and Connecticut Attorney General William Tong have voiced their support of continuing a moratorium by the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) on shutoffs by the state”™s utilities.
The moratorium expired in October ”“ a separate annual moratorium on power shutoffs during the winter is set to expire next month ”“ but PURA has neither extended the expired moratorium nor announced its official termination.
“PURA”™s shutoff moratorium and other state actions have provided crucial mitigation to the pandemic burden for all of our residents, but especially those disproportionately impacted minority communities who have the highest energy burdens on their household budgets,” Lamont said in a statement. “We are simply too early in our comeback to begin lifting these lifesaving protections now and we believe that there is potential for more help to be on the way.”
Earlier this month, Lamont held his annual budget address to unveil the state’s $46 billion biennial financial plan. The budget is partly reliant on federal economic stimulus to achieve priorities such as overcoming the Covid-19 pandemic and making Connecticut more affordable for middle-class families.
In a letter to Jeffrey R. Gaudiosi, PURA”™s executive secretary, Tong stated it was a mistake to end the moratorium while the economic trauma created by the Covid-19 pandemic was still a factor in the lives of many residents.
“We are not yet out of the woods with Covid-19, and many Connecticut families are still relying on essential utilities for hygiene, cooking, cleaning and climate control to work, study and school their children from home,” Tong wrote. “Ending the moratorium on utility shutoffs now would have devastating consequences for people across Connecticut who are just trying to get by during this pandemic and the worst financial crisis in recent times. We oppose the efforts to prematurely resume these shut offs and urge PURA to reject this plan.”
