Representative
Moira K. Lyons
Speaker of the House
LOB,
Room 4105
Hartford,
CT 06106-1591
Senator
Kevin Sullivan
President
Pro Tempore
LOB,
Room 3300
Hartford,
CT 06106-1591
Re: Connecticut Conservation Fund
Dear
Representative Lyons and Senator Sullivan:
The Office of Consumer Counsel (OCC) has learned that the
Connecticut Energy Conservation and Load Management Fund (C&LM Fund) is
once again a target for reduction as part of an overall legislative budget
plan.
As the ratepayers’ advocate and as their representative
on the Energy Conservation Management Board (ECMB) (advisor to the expenditures
of those funds) in particular, I am requesting your support in ensuring that
the fund stays intact.
This fund is one of the success stories in the State’s
electric restructuring transition. The
need for the full complement of funds is no greater than in the current
year. The plan and budget just
formulated by the ECMB calls for extensive use of the funds for specific and
direct conservation and load management programs for Southwestern Connecticut
(SWCT). Any reduction in the C&LM
Fund will directly affect the efforts in both the near and long term in
reducing the electric congestion in SWCT, home of the “economic engine” of
Connecticut.
In addition, the
C&LM Fund and the plans, programs and budget it supports are responsible
for both economic activity and jobs in state of the art, technical
activities. Not only are the jobs
local, so are the tax benefits.
Ratepayers and consumers, of all classes, (residential,
commercial, and industrial), directly benefit when they avail themselves of the
programs and plans provided by the fund.
Since they pay into the C&LM fund at a 3-mill charge per kWh, they
ought to directly receive the benefits.
The C&LM Fund plans allow energy to be used more efficiently,
decreasing the need for additional power plants and the associated environmental
concerns. This is good for Connecticut’s
citizens and implements well-recognized state policy in this area.
On behalf of
Connecticut ratepayers, I respectfully urge you to safeguard these important
funds.
Very truly yours,
Mary J. Healey
Consumer Counsel
cc: Governor
John G. Rowland
Energy
& Technology Committee Co-Chairs
DPUC
Chairman Donald Downes
Attorney
General Richard Blumenthal
ECMB