Sen. Formica Statement on State Officials’ Millstone Recommendation

State Senator Paul Formica (R-East Lyme), co-chair of the Energy and Technology Committee, released the following statement regarding a report from the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) and the Public Utility Regulatory Authority (PURA) that includes recommendations to allow Millstone Power Station to bid on selling power directly to utilities to establish long-term stable prices through a competitive process. This recommendation comes after an extensive appraisal by DEEP and PURA that worked to determine if it is in the best interest of ratepayers to remove the middleman and allow the facility to sell power directly. The appraisal was ordered as part of legislation passed by the General Assembly in the fall.

“This is welcome news for our entire state. Connecticut is taking an important step forward to stabilize the state’s largest energy provider to benefit ratepayers across New England. Millstone provides over half the power for Connecticut on a daily basis. Ensuring Millstone’s stability while we work towards building a future system that includes more renewable energy resources is needed to preserve reliability and affordability. As we have seen in recent weeks, the state does not have the capacity to rely on natural gas especially during cold winters when natural gas prices surge. As the state’s largest carbon-free energy source, Millstone plays a major role in helping the state achieve its goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It also provides thousands of good paying jobs and contributes nearly $1.5 billion annually to our economy. I thank the administration for taking the time to analyze the economic conditions that impact our energy markets and making a recommendation that will help create more stability for our entire state as well as the New England region.”