VERNON, Conn — The Town of Vernon is offering state residents the opportunity to show opposition to Eversource's proposed rate increase through an online petition.
Eversource announced the rate increase proposal in February, which could raise bills by about $38 a month if approved. The town said the proposed rate will increase by 19%.
The petition allows people to send comments to the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA), the group that will decide whether to approve the rate proposal.
"We encourage other communities to take the same steps we are taking in standing up to Eversource and its continued rate increases," said Michael Purcaro, the Vernon Town Manager. "We need to join together on behalf of our residents."
Currently, the rate is at 14.714 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh), which was initially in effect until June 30, 2024. If PURA approves the rate hike, it will into effect on May 1.
"This rate increase is almost entirely driven by state-mandated and approved programs," Eversource said in a statement to FOX61 Thursday.
Regarding the Town of Vernon's petition, Eversource said the town's "strategy would only create a further piling up of costs which will lead to an even greater burden for customers next year."
Eversource also previously stated that the rate increase is due to the "high number of unpaid customer balances" for "multiple years" during the COVID-19 pandemic. They said that all customers pay for overdue customer balances.
If a new rate goes into effect on May 1, it is not yet clear if another new rate will go into effect on July 1, 2024, when the rates typically change.
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