Press Releases
02/26/2025
DEEP Launches Integrated Resources Plan (IRP) to Identify Strategies to Affordably and Reliably Meet Connecticut’s Growing Electricity Needs
DEEP Also Launches Transmission White Paper, First of Several on Topics Relevant to the IRP
(HARTFORD) - The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) today announced that it is launching the state’s next Integrated Resources Plan (IRP) to assess Connecticut’s growing electricity needs and identify pathways to meet these needs affordably and reliably for the state’s residents and businesses.
Meeting Connecticut’s electricity needs reliably, particularly during the winter when the regional power system is currently energy constrained, and doing so affordably are key concerns. The IRP will focus on identifying solutions to these challenges, such as opportunities to lower electric demand and customer bills through investments in energy efficiency as well as opportunities to grow the state’s access to affordable and reliable energy, and contribute to Connecticut’s environmental goals, through investments in new power generation and transmission lines. The IRP will focus on all-of-the-above options to increase Connecticut’s electricity supply affordably, maintain reliability, and ensure regional coordination and equitable sharing of costs across New England.
In conjunction with the IRP process, DEEP will be releasing several white papers on topics relevant to the IRP to provide further context to stakeholders and an opportunity for more detailed input on the paper topics. Concurrent with this announcement, DEEP has released a white paper assessing the current state of electricity transmission in Connecticut and New England and new infrastructure and policy needs. As New England’s existing transmission infrastructure ages, requiring increased maintenance and replacement, the cost of transmission to ratepayers has increased 72% since 2015 and now makes up 10-11% of the typical Connecticut residential customer’s monthly electricity bill. At the same time, new investments are needed to modernize the region’s transmission system, meet growing demand reliably, and access new sources of affordable power generation. DEEP’s white paper considers these challenges and identifies several strategies to help address costs while ensuring that new transmission investments benefit ratepayers, including by providing improved regulatory oversight at the federal and state levels, encouraging the adoption of advanced transmission technologies, and addressing supply chain, permitting, and siting barriers. In the coming months, DEEP will issue additional white papers on further key IRP topics related to meeting the state’s future energy needs and policy goals.
“The IRP process will help us strategically meet our growing energy needs in a way that is affordable for residents, maintains reliability, and helps us meet our statutory goal of a zero carbon electric supply by 2040,” DEEP Commissioner Katie Dykes said. “During this process, we will be sharing out white papers to provide context for stakeholders as we seek public input on key issues and considerations in our planning. DEEP’s first white paper on electricity transmission focuses on a key affordability and reliability issue: how we can best maintain and grow our state’s and the New England region’s critical transmission infrastructure to meet rapidly growing electric demand while ensuring maximum protections and benefits to ratepayers.”
In addition, DEEP is seeking public input on the transmission white paper and several questions included in a public notice announcing the IRP related to the scope of the IRP analysis, including technical power sector modeling, to be conducted over the coming months. Initial comments are due to DEEP by March 31, 2025 at 4:00 PM EST. After receiving these comments, DEEP will convene a public kickoff meeting to further discuss the IRP scope with stakeholders and intends to host additional stakeholder meetings and provide additional opportunities for public input on the IRP in the coming months.
DEEP’s development of the IRP is pursuant to Section 16a-3a(a) of the General Statutes of Connecticut, which directs DEEP to periodically “review the state's energy and capacity resource assessment and approve the Integrated Resources Plan for the procurement of energy resources, including, but not limited to, conventional and renewable generating facilities, energy efficiency, load management, demand response, combined heat and power facilities, distributed generation and other emerging energy technologies to meet the projected requirements of customers in a manner that minimizes the cost of all energy resources to customers over time and maximizes consumer benefits consistent with the state's environmental goals and standards, including, but not limited to, the state's greenhouse gas reduction goals established in section 22a-200a. The Integrated Resources Plan shall seek to lower the cost of electricity while meeting such environmental goals and standards in the most cost-effective manner.”
To view the IRP Notice of Proceeding, please visit: irp-notice-of-proceeding-and-scoping.pdf
To view the transmission white paper, please visit: transmission-white-paper-final.pdf- Twitter: @CTDEEPNews
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Contact
DEEP Communications
DEEP.communications@ct.gov
860-424-3110