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General Assembly Substitute Bill No. 1531
January Session, 2025
AN ACT CONCERNING PUBLIC UTILITY TRANSPARENCY AND
ACCOUNTABILITY AND PROCEEDINGS OF THE PUBLIC UTILITIES
REGULATORY AUTHORITY.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:
Section 1. Subdivision (1) of section 1-200 of the general statutes is 1
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 2
1, 2025): 3
(1) "Public agency" or "agency" means: 4
(A) Any executive, administrative or legislative office of the state or 5
any political subdivision of the state and any state or town agency, any 6
department, institution, bureau, board, commission, authority or official 7
of the state or of any city, town, borough, municipal corporation, school 8
district, regional district or other district or other political subdivision of 9
the state, including any committee of, or created by, any such office, 10
subdivision, agency, department, institution, bureau, board, 11
commission, authority or official, and also includes any judicial office, 12
official, or body or committee thereof but only with respect to its or their 13
administrative functions, and for purposes of this subparagraph, 14
"judicial office" includes, but is not limited to, the Division of Public 15
Defender Services; 16 Substitute Bill No. 1531
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(B) Any person to the extent such person is deemed to be the 17
functional equivalent of a public agency pursuant to law; [or] 18
(C) Any "implementing agency", as defined in section 32-222; or 19
(D) Any electric distribution company, gas company, pipeline 20
company or water company, as such terms are defined in section 16-1, 21
with more than two hundred thousand customers in the state, with 22
respect to any portions of its business under the regulation of the Public 23
Utilities Regulatory Authority. 24
Sec. 2. Section 16-243gg of the general statutes is repealed and the 25
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2025): 26
(a) No electric distribution company, gas company, pipeline 27
company or water company, as such terms are defined in section 16-1, 28
shall recover through rates any direct or indirect cost associated with 29
membership, dues, sponsorships or contributions to a business or 30
industry trade association, group or related entity incorporated under 31
Section 501 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, or any subsequent 32
corresponding internal revenue code of the United States, as amended 33
from time to time. 34
(b) No electric distribution company, gas company, pipeline 35
company or water company, as such terms are defined in section 16-1, 36
shall recover through rates any direct or indirect cost associated with 37
lobbying or legislative action, as such terms are defined in section 1-91. 38
(c) No electric distribution company, gas company, pipeline 39
company or water company, as such terms are defined in section 16-1, 40
shall recover through rates any direct or indirect cost associated with 41
advertising, marketing, communications that seek to influence public 42
opinion or any other related costs identified by the authority, unless 43
such marketing, advertising, communications or related costs are 44
specifically approved or ordered by the authority or the Department of 45
Energy and Environmental Protection. 46 Substitute Bill No. 1531
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(d) No electric distribution company, gas company, pipeline 47
company or water company, as such terms are defined in section 16-1, 48
shall recover through rates any direct or indirect cost associated with (1) 49
travel, lodging or food and beverage expenses for such company's board 50
of directors and officers or the board of directors and officers of such 51
company's parent company; (2) entertainment or gifts; (3) any owned, 52
leased or chartered aircraft for such company's board of directors and 53
officers or the board of directors and officers of such company's parent 54
company; or (4) investor relations. 55
(e) No electric distribution company, gas company, pipeline 56
company or water company that is a public agency, as defined in section 57
1-200, as amended by this act, shall recover through rates any direct or 58
indirect costs associated with complying with the provisions of the 59
Freedom of Information Act, as defined in section 1-200, as amended by 60
this act, unless such expenses are recognized by the authority as proper 61
business expenses for rate-making purposes that achieve the objectives 62
set forth in subsection (a) of section 16-19 and in section 16-19e. 63
[(e)] (f) On or before January 15, 2024, and annually thereafter, each 64
electric distribution company, gas company, pipeline company or water 65
company, as such terms are defined in section 16-1, with more than 66
seventy-five thousand customers shall report to the authority an 67
itemized list of costs associated with the activities described in this 68
section and subsection (b) of section 16-243p in a form prescribed by the 69
authority. Such report shall include, but need not be limited to: (1) Any 70
costs spent by the parent company or affiliates of the public service 71
company directly billed or allocated to the public service company; (2) 72
a list of the title, job description and salary of any employees of the 73
public service company who performed work associated with the 74
activities described in this section or in subsection (b) of section 16-243p 75
and the hours attributed to such work; (3) a list of the title, job 76
description and salary of any employees of the parent company or 77
affiliate who performed work associated with the activities described in 78
this section or in subsection (b) of section 16-243p and the hours 79
attributed to such work that were directly billed or allocated to the 80 Substitute Bill No. 1531
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public service company; (4) an itemized list of costs that the public 81
service company made to all third-party vendors for any expenses 82
associated with the activities described in this section or in subsection 83
(b) of section 16-243p including unredacted billing amounts, billing 84
dates, payees and explanation of the expenditure in detail sufficient to 85
describe the purpose of the cost; and (5) any other itemized information 86
deemed relevant by the authority. No electric distribution company, gas 87
company, pipeline company or water company, as such terms are 88
defined in section 16-1, shall recover through rates any costs associated 89
with the preparation of such report. 90
Sec. 3. Subdivision (3) of subsection (d) of section 16-245m of the 91
general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu 92
thereof (Effective July 1, 2026): 93
(3) Programs included in the plan developed under subdivision (1) of 94
this subsection shall be screened through cost-effectiveness testing that 95
compares the value and payback period of program benefits for all 96
energy savings to program costs to ensure that programs are designed 97
to obtain energy savings and system benefits, including mitigation of 98
federally mandated congestion charges, whose value is greater than the 99
costs of the programs. Program cost-effectiveness shall be reviewed by 100
the Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection annually, or 101
otherwise as is practicable, and shall incorporate the results of the 102
evaluation process set forth in subdivision (4) of this subsection, except 103
the Home Energy Solutions Audit program, which shall be subject to a 104
financial and performance audit by the Auditors of Public Accounts not 105
less than biennially, in lieu of review by the commissioner. If a program 106
is determined to fail the cost-effectiveness test as part of the review 107
process, it shall either be modified to meet the test or shall be terminated, 108
unless it is integral to other programs that in combination are cost-109
effective. On or before March 1, 2005, and on or before March first 110
annually thereafter, the board shall provide a report, in accordance with 111
the provisions of section 11-4a, to the joint standing committees of the 112
General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to energy and 113
the environment that documents (A) expenditures and fund balances 114 Substitute Bill No. 1531
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and evaluates the cost-effectiveness of such programs conducted in the 115
preceding year, and (B) the extent to and manner in which the programs 116
of such board collaborated and cooperated with programs, established 117
under section 7-233y, of municipal electric energy cooperatives. To 118
maximize the reduction of federally mandated congestion charges, 119
programs in the plan may allow for disproportionate allocations 120
between the amount of contributions pursuant to this section by a 121
certain rate class and the programs that benefit such a rate class. Before 122
conducting such evaluation, the board shall consult with the board of 123
directors of the Connecticut Green Bank. The report shall include a 124
description of the activities undertaken during the reporting period. 125
Sec. 4. (Effective July 1, 2025) The Auditors of Public Accounts shall 126
hire an additional auditor to conduct performance audits not later than 127
July 1, 2026. 128
Sec. 5. Section 16-9 of the general statutes is repealed and the 129
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2025): 130
All decisions, orders and authorizations of the Public Utilities 131
Regulatory Authority shall be in writing and shall specify the reasons 132
therefor, shall be filed and kept in the office of the authority and 133
recorded in a book kept by it for that purpose and shall be public 134
records. Said authority may, at any time, for cause shown, upon hearing 135
had after notice to all parties in interest not less than two weeks prior to 136
such hearing, rescind, reverse or alter any decision, order or 137
authorization by it made. Written notice of all orders, decisions or 138
authorizations issued by the authority shall be given to the company or 139
person affected thereby, by personal service upon such company or 140
person or by registered or certified mail, as the authority determines. 141
Any final decision, order or authorization of the Public Utilities 142
Regulatory Authority in a contested case shall constitute a final decision 143
for the purposes of chapter 54. 144
Sec. 6. Section 16-25 of the general statutes is repealed and the 145
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2025): 146 Substitute Bill No. 1531
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The Public Utilities Regulatory Authority shall fix a time and place 147
for all hearings and shall mail notice thereof to such parties in interest 148
as the authority deems necessary and give public notice thereof at least 149
[one week] two weeks prior to any such hearing. 150
Sec. 7. Subsection (n) of section 16-2 of the general statutes is repealed 151
and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2025): 152
(n) Two or more utility commissioners serving on a panel established 153
pursuant to subsection (c) of this section may confer or communicate 154
regarding the matter before such panel. [Any such conference or 155
communication that does not occur before the public at a hearing or 156
proceeding shall not constitute a meeting as defined in section 1-200.] 157
Sec. 8. Subsection (a) of section 16-19 of the general statutes is 158
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 159
1, 2025): 160
(a) No public service company may charge rates in excess of those 161
previously approved by the Public Utilities Control Authority or the 162
Public Utilities Regulatory Authority, except that any rate approved by 163
the Public Utilities Commission, the Public Utilities Control Authority 164
or the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority shall be permitted until 165
amended by the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority, that rates not 166
approved by the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority may be charged 167
pursuant to subsection (b) of this section, and that the hearing 168
requirements with respect to adjustment clauses are as set forth in 169
section 16-19b. For water companies, existing rates shall include the 170
amount of any adjustments approved pursuant to section 16-262w since 171
the company's most recent general rate case, provided any adjustment 172
amount shall be separately identified in any customer bill. Each public 173
service company shall file any proposed amendment of its existing rates 174
with the authority in such form and in accordance with such reasonable 175
regulations as the authority may prescribe. Each electric distribution, 176
gas or telephone company filing a proposed amendment shall also file 177
with the authority an estimate of the effects of the amendment, for 178 Substitute Bill No. 1531
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various levels of consumption, on the household budgets of high and 179
moderate income customers and customers having household incomes 180
not more than one hundred fifty per cent of the federal poverty level. 181
Each electric distribution company shall also file such an estimate for 182
space heating customers. Each water company, except a water company 183
that provides water to its customers less than six consecutive months in 184
a calendar year, filing a proposed amendment, shall also file with the 185
authority a plan for promoting water conservation by customers in such 186
form and in accordance with a memorandum of understanding entered 187
into by the authority pursuant to section 4-67e. Each public service 188
company shall notify each customer who would be affected by the 189
proposed amendment, by mail, at least one week prior to the first public 190
hearing thereon, but not earlier than six weeks prior to such first public 191
hearing, that an amendment has been or will be requested. Such notice 192
shall also indicate (1) the date, time and location of any scheduled public 193
hearing, (2) a statement that customers may provide written comments 194
regarding the proposed amendment to the Public Utilities Regulatory 195
Authority or appear in person at any scheduled public hearing, (3) the 196
Public Utilities Regulatory Authority telephone number for obtaining 197
information concerning the schedule for public hearings on the 198
proposed amendment, and (4) whether the proposed amendment 199
would, in the company's best estimate, increase any rate or charge by 200
five per cent or more, and, if so, describe in general terms any such rate 201
or charge and the amount of the proposed increase. If a company fails 202
to provide adequate notice, the authority shall consider the effective 203
filing date of such company's proposed amendment to be the date that 204
the company provides adequate notice to customers, as determined by 205
the authority. Until the effective filing date, no days shall count toward 206
the time limit for a final decision in this subsection. In the case of a 207
proposed amendment to the rates of any public service company, the 208
authority shall hold one or more public hearings thereon, except as 209
permitted with respect to interim rate amendments by subsections (d) 210
and (g) of this section, and shall make such investigation of such 211
proposed amendment of rates as is necessary to determine whether such 212
rates conform to the principles and guidelines set forth in section 16-19e, 213 Substitute Bill No. 1531
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or are unreasonably discriminatory or more or less than just, reasonable 214
and adequate, or that the service furnished by such company is 215
inadequate to or in excess of public necessity and convenience, provided 216
the authority may (A) evaluate the reasonableness and adequacy of the 217
performance or service of the public service company using any 218
applicable metrics or standards adopted by the authority pursuant to 219
section 16-244aa, and (B) determine the reasonableness of the allowed 220
rate of return of the public service company based on such performance 221
evaluation, except that no public service company that is an electric 222
distribution company may be allowed a rate of return that exceeds the 223
weighted average cost of capital for such company, as determined by 224
the authority. The authority, if in its opinion such action appears 225
necessary or suitable in the public interest may, and, upon written 226
petition or complaint of the state, under direction of the Governor, shall, 227
make the aforesaid investigation of any such proposed amendment 228
which does not involve an alteration in rates. If the authority finds any 229
proposed amendment of rates to not conform to the principles and 230
guidelines set forth in section 16-19e, or to be unreasonably 231
discriminatory or more or less than just, reasonable and adequate to 232
enable such company to provide properly for the public convenience, 233
necessity and welfare, or the service to be inadequate or excessive, it 234
shall determine and prescribe, as appropriate, an adequate service to be 235
furnished or just and reasonable maximum rates and charges to be made 236
by such company. In the case of a proposed amendment filed by an 237
electric distribution, gas or telephone company, the authority shall also 238
adjust the estimate filed under this subsection of the effects of the 239
amendment on the household budgets of the company's customers, in 240
accordance with the rates and charges approved by the authority. The 241
authority shall issue a final decision on each electric distribution or gas 242
company rate filing not later than three hundred fifty days after the 243
effective filing date of the proposed amendment. The authority shall 244
issue a final decision on all public service company rate filings, except 245
electric distribution or gas company rate filings, not later than two 246
hundred seventy days after the effective filing date of the proposed 247
amendment. 248 Substitute Bill No. 1531
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Sec. 9. Subsection (g) of section 16-19 of the general statutes is 249
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 250
1, 2025) 251
(g) The authority shall hold either a special public hearing or combine 252
an investigation with an ongoing four-year review conducted in 253
accordance with section 16-19a or with a general rate hearing conducted 254
in accordance with subsection (a) of this section on the need for an 255
interim rate decrease (1) when a public service company has, for the 256
rolling twelve-month period ending with the two most recent 257
consecutive financial quarters, earned a return on equity which exceeds 258
the return authorized by the authority by at least one-half of one 259
percentage point, (2) if it finds, in the case of an electric distribution 260
company, a rate of return that exceeds the weighted average cost of 261
capital for such company, as determined by the authority, (3) if it finds 262
that any change in municipal, state or federal tax law creates a 263
significant increase in a company's rate of return, or [(3)] (4) if it provides 264
appropriate notice that a public service company may be collecting rates 265
or may have an authorized rate of return which is or are more than just, 266
reasonable and adequate, as determined by the authority, provided the 267
authority shall require appropriate notice of hearing to the company 268
and its customers who would be affected by an interim rate decrease in 269
such form as the authority deems reasonable. The company shall be 270
required to demonstrate to the satisfaction of the authority that earning 271
such a return on equity, having an authorized rate of return or collecting 272
rates which are more than just, reasonable and adequate is directly 273
beneficial to its customers. At the completion of the proceeding, the 274
authority may order an interim rate decrease if it finds that such return 275
on equity or rates exceeds a reasonable rate of return or is more than 276
just, reasonable and adequate as determined by the authority. Any such 277
interim rate decrease shall be subject to a customer surcharge if the 278
interim rates collected by the company are less than the rates finally 279
approved by the authority or fixed at the conclusion of any appeal taken 280
as a result of any finding by the authority. Such surcharge shall be 281
assessed against customers in such amounts and by such procedure as 282 Substitute Bill No. 1531
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ordered by the authority. 283
Sec. 10. Subsection (d) of section 16-47 of the general statutes is 284
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 285
1, 2025): 286
(d) (1) (A) The Public Utilities Regulatory Authority shall investigate 287
and hold a public hearing on the question of granting its approval with 288
respect to any application made under subdivision (1) of subsection (b) 289
of this section or subdivision (1) of subsection (c) of this section and 290
thereafter may approve or disapprove any such application in whole or 291
in part and upon such terms and conditions as it deems necessary or 292
appropriate. In connection with its investigation, the authority may 293
request the views of the gas company, electric distribution company, 294
water company, telephone company, community antenna television 295
company or holding company which is the subject of the application 296
with respect to the proposed acquisition. 297
(B) After the filing of an application satisfying the requirements of 298
such regulations as the authority may adopt in accordance with the 299
provisions of chapter 54, but not later than thirty business days after the 300
filing of such application, the authority shall give prompt notice of the 301
public hearing to the [person required to file the application] applicant 302
and to the subject company or holding company. Such hearing shall be 303
commenced as promptly as practicable after the filing of the application, 304
but not later than sixty business days after [the] such filing. 305
(C) The authority shall make its determination as soon as practicable, 306
but not later than two hundred days after the filing of the application, 307
unless the [person required to file the application] applicant agrees to 308
an extension of time or the authority extends the time as provided in 309
this subsection. The authority may extend the time period for making 310
its determination by not more than thirty days if, before the end of such 311
time period, the authority notifies all parties and intervenors to the 312
proceedings of such extension. 313
(D) The authority may, in its discretion, grant the subject company, 314 Substitute Bill No. 1531
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certificate holder, provider or holding company the opportunity to 315
participate in the hearing by presenting evidence and oral and written 316
argument. [If the authority fails to give notice of its determination to 317
hold a hearing, commence the hearing, or render its determination after 318
the hearing within the time limits specified in this subdivision, the 319
proposed acquisition shall be deemed approved.] 320
(E) In each proceeding on a written application submitted under said 321
subdivision (1) of subsection (b) of this section or subdivision (1) of 322
subsection (c) of this section, the authority shall, in a manner [which] 323
that treats all parties to the proceeding on an equal basis, take into 324
consideration [(1)] (i) the financial, technological and managerial 325
suitability and responsibility of the applicant, [(2)] (ii) the ability of the 326
gas company, electric distribution company, water company, telephone 327
company, community antenna television company or holding company 328
which is the subject of the application to provide safe, adequate and 329
reliable service to the public through the company's plant, equipment 330
and manner of operation if the application were to be approved, and 331
[(3)] (iii) for an application concerning a telephone company, the effect 332
of approval on the location and accessibility of management and 333
operations and on the proportion and number of state resident 334
employees. 335
(F) The authority shall only grant its approval of an application filed 336
on or after January 1, 2021, made under subdivision (1) of subsection (c) 337
of this section, if the holding company [effects] implements a change in 338
the composition of the board of directors to include a proportional 339
percentage of Connecticut-based directors equivalent to the percentage 340
that Connecticut service areas represent of the total service areas 341
covered by the holding company. 342
(G) On and after October 1, 2025, the authority shall not approve any 343
application made pursuant to subdivision (1) of subsection (c) of this 344
section if the applicant seeking approval to control a gas company or 345
electric distribution company, or a holding company thereof, already 346
controls a gas company or electric distribution company, or a holding 347 Substitute Bill No. 1531
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company thereof, in the state. 348
(2) (A) The Public Utilities Regulatory Authority shall investigate and 349
hold a public hearing on the question of granting its approval with 350
respect to any application made under subdivision (2) of subsection (b) 351
of this section or subdivision (2) of subsection (c) of this section and 352
thereafter may approve or disapprove any such application in whole or 353
in part and upon such terms and conditions as it deems necessary or 354
appropriate. In connection with its investigation, the authority may 355
request the views of the subject certificate holder, provider or holding 356
company which is the subject of the application with respect to the 357
proposed acquisition. 358
(B) After the filing of an application satisfying the requirements of 359
such regulations as the authority may adopt in accordance with the 360
provisions of chapter 54, but not later than thirty business days after the 361
filing of such application, the authority shall give prompt notice of the 362
public hearing to the [person required to file the application] applicant 363
and to the subject certificate holder, provider or holding company. Such 364
hearing shall be commenced as promptly as practicable after the filing 365
of the application, but not later than sixty business days after [the] such 366
filing. [, and the] 367
(C) The authority shall make its determination as soon as practicable, 368
but not later than one hundred eighty days after the filing of the 369
application [,] unless the [person required to file the application] 370
applicant agrees to an extension of time or the authority extends the time 371
as provided in this subsection. The authority may extend the time 372
period for making its determination by not more than thirty days if, 373
before the end of such period, the authority notifies all parties and 374
intervenors to the proceedings of such extension, [. Such authority-375
noticed extension may only occur once] provided only one such 376
extension may be noticed by the authority. 377
(D) The authority shall, upon request of the certificate holder, 378
provider or holding company, grant the subject company or holding 379 Substitute Bill No. 1531
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company the opportunity to participate in the hearing by presenting 380
evidence and oral and written argument. 381
(E) If the authority fails to give notice of its determination to hold a 382
hearing, commence the hearing or render its determination after the 383
hearing within the time limits specified in this subdivision, the 384
proposed acquisition shall be deemed approved. 385
(F) In each proceeding on a written application submitted under 386
[said] subdivision (2) of subsection (b) of this section or subdivision (2) 387
of subsection (c) of this section, the scope of review for the authority 388
shall be limited to [(A)] (i) the financial, technological and managerial 389
suitability and responsibility of the applicant, and [(B)] (ii) the legal, 390
financial and technical ability of the holder of a certificate of cable 391
franchise authority pursuant to section 16 -331p, certified 392
telecommunications provider, certified competitive video service 393
provider or holding company which is the subject of the application to 394
provide safe, adequate and reliable service subject to the authority's 395
regulation. 396
Sec. 11. (NEW) (Effective October 1, 2025) On and after January 1, 2026, 397
no person, firm or corporation shall control both an electric distribution 398
company and a gas company, as defined in section 16-1 of the general 399
statutes. Any such person, firm or corporation that has control of more 400
than one such company in violation of this section shall divest itself of 401
the additional company and retain not more than one such company by 402
January 1, 2026. The Public Utilities Regulatory Authority shall, after 403
notice and hearing in accordance with section 16-10a of the general 404
statutes, as amended by this act, revoke the franchise to operate as a 405
public service company, as defined in section 16-1 of the general 406
statutes, of any person, firm or corporation that is not in compliance 407
with the provisions of this section. 408
Sec. 12. Subsection (a) of section 16-10a of the general statutes is 409
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 410
1, 2025): 411 Substitute Bill No. 1531
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(a) Whenever any person, firm or corporation, incorporated under 412
the general statutes or any special act, is granted a franchise to operate 413
as a public service company, as defined in section 16-1, and fails to 414
provide service which is adequate to serve the public convenience and 415
necessity of any town, city, borough, district or other political 416
subdivision of the state, or any portion thereof, for a period of five years 417
from the date of such franchise or from January 1, 1961, whichever is 418
later, the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority, on its own initiative, or 419
upon complaint of any such town, city, borough, district or other 420
political subdivision, or on petition of not less than five per cent of the 421
affected persons, but in no event more than one thousand persons, in 422
any such town, city, borough, district or other political subdivision, shall 423
fix a time and place for a hearing to be held thereon. Whenever any such 424
person, firm or corporation fails to comply with the merger prohibition 425
set forth in section 11 of this act, the authority shall fix a time and place 426
for a hearing to be held thereon. The authority shall give notice thereof 427
to all parties in interest and shall make such further investigation into 428
the alleged failure to provide such service or comply with the merger 429
prohibition as it deems necessary. If upon such hearing, said authority 430
finds that the holder of such franchise has failed to provide such service 431
or comply with such prohibition and that there is an immediate need for 432
such service, it may revoke such franchise as to any such town, city, 433
borough, district or political subdivision, or any portion thereof, or 434
make such other order as may be necessary to provide such service. 435
Whenever any person, firm or corporation, incorporated under the 436
general statutes or any special act, is granted a franchise to operate as a 437
railroad company, as defined in section 13b-199, and fails to provide 438
adequate service, or has discontinued the service, on any segment of its 439
lines for which such franchise is granted for a period of five years or 440
more, the franchise for such segment of line shall cease to exist and shall 441
be revoked by the authority for such failure to operate such service or 442
discontinuance of service for a period of five years or more. 443
Sec. 13. (NEW) (Effective October 1, 2025) Notwithstanding any 444
provision of the general statutes, no state agency, as defined in section 445 Substitute Bill No. 1531
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4b-13 of the general statutes, quasi-public agency, as defined in section 446
1-120 of the general statutes, or municipality, as defined in section 7-447
131q of the general statutes, shall offer a right of first refusal for the 448
conveyance of any real property to a public service company, as defined 449
in section 16-1 of the general statutes, prior to offering such property for 450
general sale. 451
Sec. 14. Section 16-19 of the general statutes is amended by adding 452
subsection (i) as follows (Effective October 1, 2025): 453
(NEW) (i) The authority shall not approve the imposition of any fee 454
by a public service company under this section that would discourage 455
the adoption of grid-enhancing or energy-efficient technologies, 456
provided the provisions of this subsection shall not be construed to 457
apply to an order by the authority under this section concerning rates 458
that is perceived by a public service company to discourage such 459
company from making capital investments in the grid. 460
Sec. 15. Subdivision (5) of subsection (a) of section 16-245d of the 461
general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu 462
thereof (Effective October 1, 2025): 463
(5) An electric distribution company shall, in accordance with the 464
billing format developed by the authority, include the following 465
information in each customer's bill: (A) The total amount owed by the 466
customer, which shall be itemized using the categories described in 467
subdivision (3) of this subsection; (B) any unpaid amounts from 468
previous bills which shall be listed separately from current charges; (C) 469
except for customers subject to a demand charge, the rate and usage for 470
the current month and each of the previous twelve months in the form 471
of a bar graph or other visual form; (D) the payment due date; (E) the 472
interest rate applicable to any unpaid amount; (F) the toll-free telephone 473
number of the electric distribution company to report power losses; (G) 474
the toll-free telephone number of the Public Utilities Regulatory 475
Authority for questions or complaints; and (H) if a customer has a 476
demand of five hundred kilowatts or less during the preceding twelve 477 Substitute Bill No. 1531
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months, a statement about the availability of information concerning 478
electric suppliers pursuant to section 16-245p. An electric distribution 479
company shall not impose any fee that has not been authorized by the 480
authority pursuant to any provision of this title. 481
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
sections:
Section 1 October 1, 2025 1-200(1)
Sec. 2 October 1, 2025 16-243gg
Sec. 3 July 1, 2026 16-245m(d)(3)
Sec. 4 July 1, 2025 New section
Sec. 5 October 1, 2025 16-9
Sec. 6 October 1, 2025 16-25
Sec. 7 October 1, 2025 16-2(n)
Sec. 8 October 1, 2025 16-19(a)
Sec. 9 October 1, 2025 16-19(g)
Sec. 10 October 1, 2025 16-47(d)
Sec. 11 October 1, 2025 New section
Sec. 12 October 1, 2025 16-10a(a)
Sec. 13 October 1, 2025 New section
Sec. 14 October 1, 2025 16-19(i)
Sec. 15 October 1, 2025 16-245d(a)(5)
GAE Joint Favorable Subst.