PURA modifies 2025–26 energy affordability plans, orders auto-enrollment and IT updates; chair abstains

The Public Utilities Regulatory Authority approved, with modifications, the 2025–26 joint energy affordability assistance and arrears management plans submitted by Connecticut Light and Power Company (doing business as Eversource Energy), Yankee Gas Services Company (doing business as Eversource Energy), The United Illuminating Company, Connecticut Natural Gas Corporation and Southern Connecticut Gas Company. Interim Chairman Tom Wheel abstained from the vote, citing prior involvement in the docket at his former employer.

The decision alters customer-enrollment and arrearage-forgiveness rules and directs specific implementation steps. “Staff recommend approval of the decision in docket number 250501,” Attorney Keenan told the panel as staff summarized the changes.

Key changes: The authority approved auto-enrolling eligible customers onto the Matching Payment Program (MPP) twice during the winter statutory protection period — once by Dec. 1 and again by Feb. 1. PURA directed Connecticut Light and Power (CL&P) and Yankee Gas to submit proposals to update their IT systems so eligible customers are automatically enrolled in MPP when they receive a Connecticut Energy Assistance Program (CEAP) award; the authority found existing auto-enrollment practices at The United Illuminating Company, Connecticut Natural Gas and Southern Connecticut Gas to be appropriate.

The authority also required a common reenrollment policy: unlimited MPP reenrollment after successful completion within a 12-month period to allow consistent assessment of program impacts. Connecticut Natural Gas and Southern Connecticut Gas were approved to cease offering a $50 below-budget payment once their low-income discount rate offering is implemented.

Items declined: PURA declined certain proposed modifications to electric and gas flexible payment arrangements, including a proposal to require all non-hardship customers to pay 20% of their arrearage to reenroll on a payment arrangement after a first broken arrangement. The authority said it will study and evaluate methodologies next year to determine appropriate down-payment levels by household income and arrearage size and the impacts of those levels.

Vote and recusal: A motion to adopt staff’s decision passed with two votes in favor and one abstention. Interim Chairman Tom Wheel told the panel he had recused himself because of prior involvement in the docket at the Office of Consumer Counsel and would abstain from the vote. Roll call recorded: Commissioner Michael Caron — yes; Vice Chairman David Arconti — yes; Interim Chairman Tom Wheel — abstain.

What the decision requires next: CL&P and Yankee Gas must submit proposals to update IT systems to support CEAP-triggered auto-enrollment and the companies must implement the common reenrollment policy. PURA will revisit down-payment methodology in next year’s annual energy affordability review.

Scope and effect: The decision changes program enrollment mechanics and some customer-payment options for low-income and arrearage-management programs statewide. It does not set specific implementation dates beyond required proposal submissions and does not itself appropriate funds; implementation and system changes will be carried out by individual companies under PURA direction.