Connecticut Public Utilities Regulatory Authority

Address

10 Franklin Square, New Britain, CT 06051

Phone

(860) 827-1553Fax (860) 827-2806

Website

portal.ct.gov ↗

Utility landscape

• Eversource Energy (Connecticut Light and Power / Yankee Gas) IOU

  Majority of Connecticut electric service territory; Yankee Gas serves natural gas customers across central and western CT

  Eversource has faced sustained PURA scrutiny following Hurricane Isaias storm response failures and subsequent management audits. The company has been subject to earnings review dockets and performance-based ratemaking discussions, with PURA imposing rate caps and return on equity constraints in recent rate proceedings.

• United Illuminating (Avangrid subsidiary) IOU

  Greater New Haven and Bridgeport areas in southwestern Connecticut

  As an Avangrid subsidiary, UI operates under heightened PURA oversight linked to parent-company governance concerns raised in Rhode Island and Connecticut proceedings. UI's distribution rate case activity has centered on capital recovery for grid hardening and EV infrastructure investment.

• Southern Connecticut Gas / Connecticut Natural Gas / Berkshire Gas (Avangrid subsidiaries) IOU

  Southern CT shoreline, Hartford-area central CT, and northwestern corner of CT respectively

  PURA has been scrutinizing the long-term role of gas distribution in Connecticut given the state's 2040 building decarbonization goals; gas utility rate cases are increasingly entangled with integrated resource planning and stranded asset risk discussions.

• South Central Connecticut Regional Water Authority muni

  Greater New Haven region, serving approximately 430,000 people across 15 municipalities

  RWA rate cases are reviewed by PURA under Connecticut's water utility regulatory framework; recent proceedings have addressed capital investment recovery for aging infrastructure replacement and PFAS remediation cost allocation.

• Aquarion Water Company (Eversource Water subsidiary) IOU

  Fairfield County and portions of New Haven and Litchfield counties in southwestern CT

  Aquarion has pursued rate relief to recover costs associated with PFAS treatment facility upgrades and main replacement programs; PURA approved a rate increase in recent years with conditions tied to capital project completion benchmarks.

• Connecticut Municipal Electric Energy Cooperative (CMEEC) coop

  Serves municipal electric utilities in Groton, Norwich, Bozrah, South Norwalk, Jewett City, and Woodstock

  CMEEC operates largely outside PURA's direct retail rate jurisdiction as a wholesale cooperative, but has been engaged in regional transmission and capacity market proceedings; member municipalities face scrutiny over power supply contract costs passed through to retail customers.

Key issues

• Eversource distribution rate case and performance-based ratemaking framework: PURA is actively developing PBR mechanisms tied to reliability metrics, customer satisfaction, and clean energy enablement as part of broader utility business model reform, with implications for Eversource's allowed ROE and revenue requirements going forward.
• Building decarbonization and gas utility long-term planning: PURA and DEEP are jointly grappling with how to integrate Connecticut's statutory greenhouse gas reduction targets into gas distribution utility planning, including potential requirements for utilities to file decarbonization transition plans and address stranded infrastructure cost risk.
• Electric vehicle infrastructure and managed charging regulation: PURA is overseeing utility EV make-ready and managed charging programs under Connecticut's EV deployment goals, with open dockets addressing cost recovery mechanisms, program administration, and the appropriate role of utilities versus third-party charging network operators.
• Grid modernization and Advanced Metering Infrastructure deployment: PURA has been evaluating AMI deployment proposals from Eversource and UI, including benefit-cost methodology disputes, cybersecurity requirements, and customer data privacy protections, with decisions expected to shape utility capital programs through the late 2020s.
• PFAS contamination cost recovery for water utilities: Both Aquarion and RWA are pursuing recovery of significant capital and operating costs associated with emerging contaminant (PFAS) treatment compliance under tightened EPA maximum contaminant levels; PURA must balance ratepayer impact concerns against utilities' legal obligation to meet federal drinking water standards.

Upcoming

• 2026-09-15

  Estimated deadline for initial comments in Eversource Electric distribution rate case proceeding (Docket No. TBD); parties including OCC, DEEP, and intervening industrial customers expected to file testimony on revenue requirement and PBR metric proposals.

• 2026-10-20

  Estimated PURA workshop on gas utility long-term planning and decarbonization transition frameworks; expected to address whether Connecticut will require gas LDCs to file formal transition or managed decline plans under the state's climate commitments.

• 2026-11-30

  Estimated PURA decision deadline on Aquarion Water Company rate case addressing PFAS treatment capital cost recovery and allowed return; decision will set precedent for how PURA allocates costs between existing ratepayers and future growth-related beneficiaries.

• 2027-01-15

  Estimated PURA final decision on Advanced Metering Infrastructure deployment proposal for Eversource Electric; ruling expected to address benefit-cost threshold methodology, opt-out provisions, and data access rules for third-party energy service providers.