We have all been unpleasantly surprised by high-cost electric bills. Connecticut is at the end of the line for all sources of imported energy, and we do not have coal, oil or gas locally to tap into. Deregulation was thought to have been an improvement to our high prices many years ago but has turn ed out to be a failure for the paying public. Deregulation has been good for the aggregators that replaced Enron, charging nine to 11 cents when they buy from gas plants at three cents. Tariffs on Canadian electricity will drive up costs as well. Why couldn’t the state or Eversource contract directly from the plants to purchase power on our behalf, leaving out the middleman? The Connecticut Business and Industry Association has done this at significant savings for some members, and with a much longer fixed-price period. Chip Beckett Eversource is judged on local distribution, not controlling the cost of supply, transmission and public benefits. Individually we can affect our supply costs and transmission. Public benefits are deemed important, and whether paid by tax dollars or ratepayers, the costs are unlikely to change as most is fixed-price supply from the Millstone nuclear power plant which saved us a lot in previous years. Local sources also eliminate or decrease demand charges when the weather is extreme, also allowing for required transmitted power to be less than currently needed. Transmission being lessened or even eliminated saves us money individually and collectively. We still need transmission capabilities to move things around, but minimizing its use saves us money. We only have two energy sources readily available to Connecticut: sun and wind. We, the public should work to offset our own use as well as the commercial/industrial uses that are locally controlled. I do not think everyone can add their own electricity, but many more homes could, as a positive long-term investment, just like a new roof does. While funds are tied up for this investment, solar arrays lock in the price for 20-25 years while electric prices regularly rise with no end in sight. Can everyone afford this? No, but many more could with the proper incentives and regulatory guidance. Homegrown energy at your home or business will minimize your individual burden. Onshore wind on a small scale may also be effective. I regularly see the windmill in New Haven off the side of the bridge, spinning and making electricity for the plant owner. We have wind on our shore and hilltops. Couldn’t we have a local distribution system capable of accepting and moving around locally produced electricity as a matter of right rather than regulatory review that can be years long? It would minimize imported power coming on transmission lines and add to supply. Can Eversource and United Illuminating install distributed batteries so the local grid can accept power peaks and valleys from distributed generation? Solar can be expanded on more roofs, but also parking lots as carports, shading cars from sun, rain and snow as well as producing electricity. Connecticut has miles of highway rights of way that other states utilize for panels, like Massachusetts. Can we encourage large buildings of factories and malls to utilize solar panels? Even if they don’t want to do it themselves, could the state and real estate owners rent the space to solar installers on a long term basis? It would save green field development in our farmland, forests and open spaces. Could PURA have the limits on home rooftop solar be dropped, so people can put as much as they want, instead of being limited to 102% of their estimated use? Nuclear power has many advocates, but it would be at least 15 years before anything could come on line, so that will not help us in the short run. We need solutions that help now and the near future. The final note would be that gas plants are around but can run out in cold snaps — probably best viewed as a transitional source of electricity so the lights don’t go off, Connecticut should build storage to hold gas when the pipelines are not well utilized in the summer, so we have plenty in the winter. It would be far cheaper than counting on LNG shipments to our ports. Connecticut has solutions to our energy problems. Somewhere and someone will see changes with more solar and wind, new fossil or nuclear plants, pipelines or storage. If we collectively do not want the lights to go out, we will have to accept change in some fashion. We can’t count on other states to fix our issues, not have them save us money. We must act ourselves for our own and collective benefit. Chip Beckett of Glastonbury was the Independent Candidate for Lt. Governor of Connecticut in 2022. He is a Veterinarian and the Former Chair of the Glastonbury Town Council. ...read more read less