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PURA adopts water-surcharge increases, revokes unused CPCN and approves Eversource debt; consent calendar passes
Summary
At its March 26 meeting the authority approved water infrastructure surcharges for Aquarion and Connecticut Water effective April 1, revoked a CPCN for Zayo Infrastructure Holdco LLC, approved Yankee Gas (Eversource) to issue up to $360 million in first mortgage bonds, and adopted the consent calendar.
The Public Utilities Regulatory Authority on March 26 adopted a series of staff-recommended decisions across several dockets, including approvals of water infrastructure and conservation adjustments for two companies, revocation of an unused certificate of public convenience and necessity, and authorization for Yankee Gas Services Company doing business as Eversource Energy to issue long-term secured debt.
The panel approved Aquarion Water Company of Connecticut's semiannual Water Infrastructure and Conservation (WIC) filing in docket 220701WIO3, allowing a cumulative WIC surcharge of 3.93% for most customers and 4.27% for Plainville system customers. Authority staff engineer Maria Jewell said the authority reviewed the company's request to designate projects numbered 1432–1441 and 1448–1508 as WIC-eligible and approved cost recovery for 57 completed projects with total costs of $34,381,435 that represent replacement of 69,603 feet of pipe. The Aquarion incremental surcharge approved was 1.93%, and the cumulative surcharge will be effective April 1, 2025.
In docket 230832WIO2 the authority approved Connecticut Water Company's semiannual WIC filing. Staff reported the company sought designation of project numbers 588–614 with estimated costs of $26,950,000 and cost recovery for 13 completed projects totaling $15,702,998. The authority authorized an incremental surcharge of 1.35% and a cumulative WIC surcharge of 4.90%, effective April 1, 2025.
In docket 240607 the authority revoked the certificate of public convenience and necessity issued to Zayo Infrastructure Holdco LLC after the company notified PURA by letter that it never commenced operations in Connecticut, had no Connecticut customers and requested surrender and cancellation of the CPCN. Staff cited General Statute section "16 dash 2 47 g subsection g" as governing the revocation process; no hearing was requested and the CPCN was revoked.
In docket 250131 the authority approved Yankee Gas Services Company's request under Connecticut General Statute "16 43 B" to authorize issuance of secured first mortgage bonds in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $360,000,000 through Dec. 31, 2026. Staff said the company expects total capital expenditures of about $730,000,000 during the authorization period and may need to refinance up to $165,000,000 in long-term maturities. The authority noted exact issuance terms will depend on market conditions.
The board also adopted its consent calendar covering 10 items. Staff presenters recommended adoption for the cases summarized above; each decision was moved, seconded and approved by roll call.
All roll-call votes recorded the three commissioners voting to adopt the decisions.
