Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Public Utilities Regulatory Authority

Electric and gas utilities have begun notifying residential customers with unpaid and/or past-due balances that if they do not take action and contact their utility to enroll in a payment plan, they are at risk of having their gas services terminated on Thursday, May 2, 2024. If your household has received a notification from your utility company, please contact them directly to set up a payment plan to keep your services on. These plans charge no interest, and all customers qualify at least once for one or more of these plans. After engaging with utility providers, customers may also contact PURA’s customer affairs unit for specific questions regarding payment arrangements. View eligibility, utility contact information

About PURA

The Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) is statutorily-charged with ensuring that Connecticut's investor-owned utilities, including the state’s electric, natural gas, water, and telecommunications companies, provide safe, clean, reliable, and affordable utility service and infrastructure. PURA’s mission is essential to advancing the state’s energy, economic, and environmental goals and is critical to maintaining public health and safety as well as a robust economy.   

 

PURA is a quasi-judicial agency that interprets and applies the statutes and regulations governing all aspects of Connecticut’s utility sector. Among other things, PURA sets the rates charged by investor-owned utilities, advances the modernization of the electric distribution system, regulates the retail electric supplier market, implements federal requirements for natural gas pipeline safety, ensures adequate water system infrastructure investments, reviews mergers and acquisitions, provides education and outreach for consumers, and regulates the expansion of telecommunications infrastructure.



Organization Structure - Offices

PURA is organized within the following divisions:


History

PURA has regulated several essential industries and services in Connecticut since it was founded as the Board of Railroad Commissioners in 1853.

By the 20th century, the increasing numbers of electric, gas, water, telegraph, and telephone companies brought the need for increased regulation and an agency with an expanded scope. In 1911, the agency became the new Public Utilities Commission, and 100 years later the agency became the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority.

Learn more about how PURA has evolved.