November 6, 2007

Utility company wrong, Boukus says

Press release from state Rep. Betty Boukus, a Plainville Democrat whose district includes a tiny sliver of Forestville:

State Representative Betty Boukus (D-Plainville, New Britain, Bristol) reassured constituents that she would work with legislators to prevent public utilities from passing the expense of executive bonuses onto ratepayers. The issue came to light when Connecticut Light and Power (CL&P) asked state regulators to approve a rate increase due in part to bonuses for top executives.

“I hope CL&P reconsiders its plan to make customers pay for performance bonuses for their top salaried executives,” Rep. Boukus said. “Ratepayers have shouldered an incredible burden as double-digit rate increases become a yearly occurrence. Enough is enough.”

In its request to raise rates almost 5% effective January 1, 2008, CL&P asked the Department of Public Utility Control (DPUC) to consider executive bonuses to be a part of the utility’s operating expenses.

Rep. Boukus said, “If the DPUC approves this increase, we must act as a legislature to ensure that it will be illegal for public utility’s to pass the costs of bonuses onto overburdened ratepayers. What is CL&P thinking?”

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Copyright 2007. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

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