Press Releases
05/29/2024
Attorney General Tong Responds to PURA's Draft Decision Rejecting Connecticut Water Company's Requested $22 million Rate Hike
(Hartford, CT) -- Attorney General William Tong responded today to a draft decision by the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) rejecting the Connecticut Water Company’s $21.8 million rate hike.
The requested rate hike would have increased water rates by around 18 percent for 107,000 customers across 60 cities and towns in Connecticut. PURA’s draft decision instead orders a rate increase of only 2.5 percent (roughly $3 million) for Connecticut customers. In a brief filed in March with the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority, Attorney General Tong called regulators to reject a $21.8 million rate hike sought by the Connecticut Water Company, as well as the Company’s proposed 10.5 percent return on equity (ROE), which would have been substantially higher than the State’s other regulated utilities. PURA agreed with the Office of the Attorney General’s recommendation, limiting the Company’s ROE to 9.2 percent.
“Connecticut consumers have borne the burden of relentless rate increases for years now. Ratepayers – particularly those on fixed or limited incomes - simply could not be forced to pay for such an excessive, unwarranted hike on their water bill. I thank PURA for rejecting this proposal and for doing right by Connecticut families and consumers, and I strongly urge them hold firm in its conclusion as it works toward issuing a final decision,” said Attorney General Tong.
Assistant Attorney General John Wright, Paralegal Specialist Casey Rybak, and Deputy Associate Attorney General Michael Wertheimer, Chief of the Consumer Protection Section, assisted the Attorney General in this matter.
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Media Contact:
Elizabeth Benton
elizabeth.benton@ct.gov
Consumer Inquiries:
860-808-5318
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