Last year, the Connecticut Legislature made it a very difficult year for consumers in the energy market. The Democrat super majority in the legislature tried to end deregulation in the energy business, which would have been a game changer for your choices, and would affect everyones ability to save money on their electric bills. Fortunately, we had a Republican Governor that stood up for consumers and vetoed the bill, which ended a direct threat to saving us customers money on our electric bills this legislative year.
Elections have consequences. It is up to us to vote for officials that will protect our consumer rights and our ability to save them money. It is imperative that we elect proponents, also the Governor is key. Please get out and vote, and encourage your friends, family and friends to vote for legislators who protect our savings and our energy choices.
Please call your State representatives to see where they stand on energy deregulation prior to your casting your vote, or see how they voted on the energy bill in the links below. If you have any questions on where your Senator and State Representative stands, please feel free to give me a call at 203-846-9900.
If Malloy, or a like opponent, is elected governor, he will NOT veto attempts to re-regulate the energy business, because he would not provide the backstop to the next super majority in our state legislature that may be intent on re-passing this re-regulation bill.
Results of the House and Senate voting this year on the Energy Bill that was vetoed by Republican governor Jodi Rell:
("NO" is for consumers, "YES" is against against consumers.)
United Illuminating does quarterly conference calls to their shareholders. This archived audio was released to the UI shareholders to demonstrate the current progress of our energy grid.
To listen to the audio, click the link below and turn up your speaker volume. It is a very informative report from UI's "Top Brass." The most notable part of this audio is that Milford's "uncollectibles" are down. This is some long awaited good news. The bad news is that UI continues to pressure the DPUC for rate increases.
The city has endured truck after truck of "wide load" vehicles up and down New Haven Ave. Local onlookers watched and wondered at what the massive oversize structures were, and what they were intended for.
Well after several months, we can now see the colossal structures rising into giant smoke stacks along the Housatonic river in Devon. The site is the one formerly known as the Devon Power Plant owned and operated by United Illuminating and NRG.
The new project is one run by the energy giant NRG, (pronounced "Energy.") The new plant is expected to function as a "peaking station" or in layman's terms, it will add power in the summer and winter when we all have the air conditioners, or heaters on in extreme weather.
The current power grid included the Middletown station. With it now in ruins the new gas powered power plant may evolve as more than just a "peaking station."
The new gas powered power plant is expected to go online as early as this summer, and the need for it appears to be increasing as the rebuilding of the Middletown plant drags on pending investigations and litigation.
The site is now clearly visible from Naugatuck Ave. Anyone curious in what the project currently looks like can park along side the road and see for them selves.
(Above photo is an artists rendering of the final project.)
Connecticut utility United Illuminating files rate increase application with state regulators.
"NEW HAVEN, Conn. (AP) -- Electric utility The United Illuminating Co. has filed an application with Connecticut authorities seeking a rate increase. If approved by the Department of Public Utility Control, electric bills for residential customers using 700 kilowatt-hours per month will rise by about $6.60 per month. Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, says he will fight the increase.
United Illuminating says it understands that rising energy costs are creating difficulties for consumers, but the company needs to increase its electricity distribution rate because of higher expenses, lower sales and increased capital costs.
Blumenthal says UI must tighten its belt and make do with less.
UI serves more than 323,000 residential, commercial and industrial customers in the greater New Haven and Bridgeport areas.
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In Summary UI alleges profits are up in some areas down in others and maintain that conservation and delinquent accounts are costing them dearly. UI has also indicated that customers are more hostile and are planning or considering a system that remotely shuts off non paying customers. This will save UI money by eliminating jobs, and avoiding their hostile customers, vicious dogs, and inaccessible meters.
Conference Call Second Quarter 2008. [Click HERE] Scroll to middle of audio clip for conference call to begin. It starts after the music on hold.
Special point to add to this "shocker" is that shortly after the DPUC got slammed with this UI request our Spanish owned gas provider got caught over charging Milford for gas. They are now being forced to give us some money back, up to $9.00 per month.
Governor Rell here in our state has launched a energy saving campaign some time ago called "One Thing" while the name can be cathchy I recently discovered that some people did not exactly know what this "one thing" was.
This blog today will hopefully make it clear as to the intentions behind the Governors campaign, now featured on highway billboards, newspapers, and just about everywhere you could get the word out. The purpose of the campaign is to promote energy conservation here in our state.
It does not take an expert to open an electric bill look at the amount due for just 30 days and realize something is alarmingly wrong, high energy expenses in Connecticut has already crippled our economy, and contributed to a boom in foreclosures. Rep. Cafero said Connecticut is ranked 50th out of 50 states, dead last, for being the least favorable state in America to conduct business in. Our leaders in Hartford for the first time in a long time are showing signs that our state finances are unraveling as a result, and the state is now taking on new debt and being forced into spending its surplus money.
The "One Thing" program asks you and your family to practice energy conservation, Rell believes that if every person in the state turned off one or two lights each day that would be over one million lights out, over the course of a year this could add up to billions of lights out saving an enourmous amount of energy.
By simply turning off a light each day you are helping your family save on energy, helping the environment by reducing greenhouse gas, and helping others by reducing demand for energy. Reduced demand will make future energy more affordable.
Turning off our lights is not a matter of "cheapness or stinginess" but rather an issue of "ignorance and selfishness" on the part of those who wrecklessly disregard others or trivialize the true impact a person can have on the environment.
Rell's program, is just a start and I personally believe that it is a great program if we follow it. Please talk to your family and kids about energy conservation and get as many as you can onboard. See the "One Thing" Website.
Gayle Slossberg recently sent out an update regarding a demand for public action on alleged energy increases, mainly the DPUC granting permission to United Illuminating to reopen their rate case. To me this was no surprise as it was exactly what they said they would do in their last investor conference call. Unfortunately, for Ms. Slossberg on the same day her card arrived in my mail box, UI issued a press release announcing that the DPUC "nixed" the decision to reopen the rate case. This marked a partial victory for consumers and consequently makes her card a bit confusing to those who received it after this fact.
One thing to point out about Ms. Slossberg is that she allegedly voted in favor of UI's decoupling bill House Bill 7432. This bill deceptive in its name and according to Rep. Robert Megna "If a gas or electric customer conserves and uses less energy to reduce their bill or if consumption drops for other reasons then customers must pay the profits earned during the prior rating period, provided it was higher. Historically profits normally fluctuate based on consumption of gas and electricity. This scheme will cost consumers an estimated additional $25 million per year." Why she voted in favor of this bill is questionable to me and appears to be contradictory to her current position to protect consumers. I would ask that Gayle be crystal clear to the public about whose side she is on.
Personally, (and that one issue aside) I would like to publicly thank Ms. Slossberg for now speaking out in favor of us "the consumers." I would like to also thank her for recognizing that our rates have nearly doubled, and as such I would expect that her future votes reflect more consumer advocacy and less rhetoric. As a candidate for State Representative myself I will be watching exactly how all our local legislators vote, rarely do I listen to their happy jolly words.
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Update:
DPUC Rejected UI's request to re-open their 2006 rate case. UI then followed up by submitting a new request to raise our electric rates, this request can be granted, (although, this can be complicated and hard to follow) Gayle's request for us to complain to the DPUC is "spot on". Follow her links to take action.
The state Department of Public Utility Control (DPUC) has decided to let United Illuminating open its 2006 rate case. The only reason to open the case is to request a rate increase which will increase the long-term cost of electricity. We cannot allow that to happen.
Last year, United Illuminating customers saw their electric bills nearly double. We cannot afford another increase in our rates. An increase now will hurt families, business's and municipalities that are struggling already to make ends meet. At time when the cost of everything-from groceries to gasoline-is on the rise, we've all had to tighten our belts and make due with less. United Illuminating needs to do the same.
However, unless we all come together and take a strong stand against this unjust and unreasonable request, the department may give United Illuminating shareholders the raise they want. We must take action, and we do it now.
Please visit my Website, download a letter to the DPUC commissioners, and tell them you will not tolerate another increase in electric rates. Connecticut ratepayers cannot live with another electric rate increase. Together, we will make our voices heard and we will fight this hike.
"The United Illuminating Company (UI), a subsidiary of UIL Holdings Corporation (NYSE: UIL), and NRG Energy, Inc. (NYSE:NRG) today were awarded a contract to build new peaking generation with a nominal capacity of 200 megawatts (MW) at NRG's existing Devon plant in Milford, CT. The new plant will have a summer-rated capacity of 194 MW, assuming natural gas fuel.
The peaking plant will be owned by GenConn Energy LLC, a 50-50 partnership between UI and NRG. The new Devon peaking plant, which will provide power to all Connecticut residents during peak usage periods, is scheduled to be in operation by June 1, 2010.
The DPUC today made its formal decision to select GenConn as one of three projects chosen to help address the state's growing need for more power generation during the heaviest load periods. The award reflects a guaranteed contract quantity of 188 MW of new peaking generation at Devon."
Something further to add to this press release is that there is another power plant less than 1/4 of a mile from the/this UI/ENRG site, a site that a UI spokesman said they are not connected with. UI has won its latest victory in the last month when its Monk parakeet cruelty lawsuit, filed by Animal rights activists, was dismissed. This victory followed their approval of a multi billion dollar grid upgrade that is yet to save us taxpayers who built it any money. UI's largest victory thus far is its back to back rate increase approvals, the latest one increasing our bills another 3%, see today's CT Post article.
UI spokesman said that this is a peak energy plant that can be cold started in about 30 minutes saving consumers money during peak energy periods. The gas powered turbines will be powered by a gas line going to the Devon plant. The actual savings however are in question, a recent CT Post article cited these savings to a mere $3.00 per consumer. This savings (in lieu of the UI's CEO Mr. Torgenson comments) may be overstated as he is heard often complaining to his share holders that local conservation efforts, combined with delinquencies, have dramatically reduced local demand for electric impacting their profits.
UI has responded to these concerns by pleading to the DPUC for profit increases under decoupling bills. UI has raised its prices already apx. 100% in the last eight years and has time and again proven that they are deceptive in their trade practices. It is my opinion that this Devon power plant will offer no significant relief to Milford's ratepayers. What this plant will do is offer significant profit to UI's soured investors who are cheering the project on wall street. UI was forced out of the generation business in 1999 due to a public outcry over mercury and poor air quality concerns.
Photo above is an artist rendering of the modified Devon Power Plant site. One point of interest in this photo is that all the homes near this power plant have been excluded by the artist, perhaps to limit the perception of the terrible impact it will have on the surrounding neighborhood.
When I first saw these birds over a decade a ago I thought that perhaps someones pet parakeets had flown away. Vivid green and beautiful everyone in town soon started asking lots of questions about these exotic birds. They rarely flew alone always in flocks, and unlike tropical birds, managed to survive the winters here in Connecticut.
The origin of these birds was clearly by way of introduction and then possibly some cross breeding, I have heard many stories about how they got here but never truly got a consistent story. The only thing that always rings the same is that the were introduced into our area by someones own actions.
Not everyone is a fan of Monk Parakeets, especially United Illuminating who regards them as an infestation. UI has claimed that they build nests on utility poles (see photo above) taking advantage of the warmth put forth by the transformers. The nests that are constructed add additional insulation and restrict ventilation required by UI equipment to not overheat, explode, malfunction or worse cause a blackout.
Friends of Animals has taken up a legal battle to protect these birds from extermination. They have been challenging Woodson and UI for their deliberate and inhumane extermination of them. The situation has culminated into several protests and lawsuits urging for a compromise that protects the lives and habitat of these beautiful birds.
The news today in the CT Post was the final showdown, and the birds lost their case as the court sided with United Illuminating. However, there is still hope because FOA is actively involved in discussions that will hopefully allow for the safe removal of the nests without injury to the birds.
United Illuminating just had its conference call to its investors this week. The electric that they sold showed yet another double digit increase in their profits, however UI's CEO Mr Torgensen complained that they sold too little electric and was disappointed so many people were "turning off the lights." He also was not happy with the level of uncollected receivables and told the shareholders that he planned on recouping their lost profits through yet another Decoupling Bill.
Mr. Torgensen and crew will be up in Hartford lobbying the DPUC, who regulates the cost of electric, with the written Decoupling request to help restore their, yet again lost profits. Last time such a bill was introduced, no one in the legislature even read it, actually it was introduced one hour before it was voted on. That bill was H.B. 7432, introduced earlier last year.
Rep. Megna of New haven opposed that bill citing that concessions were in order as energy was increasing faster than people could afford to pay. Should UI succeed in this latest decoupling bill it may push our electric bill has high as 100% in eight years.
To hear the entire UI Conference call scroll to the end of the audio clip listed below.
All of last week a small helicopter was buzzing my neighborhood pulling wire to complete the final construction of the second and very large electrical grid tower. These towers standing at nearly 120 feet high are strung with two pairs of wire strewn cross eight points.
This power grid is built with the taxes we all pay on our electric bills in conjunction with state and federal assistance and is hoped to save us the consumer money on our future electric bills. We were told this would happen by allowing our state to be more competitive in markets beyond our own.
The entire project has cost billions, and stretches for 75 miles. All cables after the Stratford bridge go underground at the highest expense, and at the consequence of local residential communities having their streets torn apart all through Fairfield County.
The project contractor has been giving local residents near the project pamphlets. These pamphlets are left on peoples doors as the work progresses. In my neighborhood alone those living near the razed areas have been less than happy with the aftermath of the gravel dumping, bulldozing, and un-natural structures that have clearly marred countless views.
A neighbor of mine indicated that the old grid was built using "natural materials, rested below the tree line, and possessed fewer lines. These new ones are more akin to an industrial cold and impersonal steel megalith. Hardly a pretty sight, and I certainly can see the before and after."
The good news is that someone has been somewhat concerned about our watershed, and the Army Corp of Engineers just completed a 4-5 acre drainage site at Eisenhower Park. This is our towns 350 acre nature preserve.
In personally visiting that site it appeared to be constructed on schedule and exactly as the town committee indicated it would be constructed. There is currently water in it along with an extensive fence around it. The purpose of this site is a drainage area that offsets the induced construction damage to the wetlands. The Eisenhower Park project is touted as an improvement boasting more drainage capacity even in the off chance of river flooding. Click HERE for minutes of this meeting.
To conclude this Blog I will say that I am thrilled that this project is rapidly approaching its final stage and conclusion, I now only hope and pray that it will deliver everything we were told prior to its construction and the natural landscape will be allowed to return.
(The above photo is an arial view of Eisenhower Park. At the center is a tan brown diagonal strip indicating how much razing took place while cutting through a natural area.)
The most clever profiteer in Milford is by far The United Illuminating Company who has achieved a stellar profit record for their share holders and future interests. In 2007 UI was able to circumvent the "Windfall Profits Tax", duped the CT House of Representatives with (HB 7432) by charging you "for lost profits", charging you again for a "Rebate Program", UI "Defrauded" customers with meters that overcharge, was "gifted" a brand new power grid, and most insulting of all won permission to raise our electrical rates 90% in just a few years.
With such a solid business climate you would think that UI would be satisfied, as a matter of fact they decided to do business with Energy Inc. to reopen what they call a "clean power plant" here in Milford. This partnership is with a company that owns TEN, a company that is now in court with Attorney General Blumenthal for allegations that it breached its contract and overcharged taxpayers over 14 Million Dollars. TEN even has gone so far as to attempt a disruption of power to important buildings at the State Capitol.
With such a marred controversial record, are we now to believe and trust that UI and NRG burning natural gas is "clean?" The facts indicate otherwise, as these natural gas plants will likely need to obtain their fuel from a foreign source. The North East peaked on oil and gas some time ago, and a opportunity has been created for a controversial LNG or Liquefied Natural Gas facility off the coast of CT in NY waters. Unfortunately the game is "afoot" because NY Gov. Spitzer is holding the fate of CT's waterfront. If the Gov. approves the LNG than UI scores another big victory while we the inhabitants of this state lose yet again.
Make no mistake, mining for Gas is not "Eco friendly" an LNG is not "Eco-friendly" and the billowing smoke coming out of UI's smoke stack will still create massive CO2 "greenhouse gas" emissions with reduced air quality in our town. The only thing "clean" about gas is that it puts less mercury into the environment. This comes at a huge price, the price being a "reshuffling" of environmentally destructive sources. Do not believe the news in the Milford Mirror as fact because they originate from UI press releases and connected sources. They are intended to make you feel content with their 700 Million dollar plant opening right near your home as somehow safe.
The real kicker, aside from, obvious health risks, the transport of more toxic and explosive gas and chemicals, and increased traffic congestion, is UI's demand that we pay them yet again as a reward for building a "clean" plant. UI has yet done too little to remediate the massive mercury and methylmercury problem they created just a few short years ago. To any naysayers out there, if it has a billowing smokestack it is not clean, it is as simple as that.
TEN Company, a subsidiary of Energy East, also involved with UI in our Devon Power Plant project, is trying to shut off the electric on ten of our government office buildings.
These buildings include important government facilities such as the Legislative Office Building, State Supreme Court, our Armory, our Dept of Environmental protection, and six others.
The reason for the "shut off", according to Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, is because of a pricing dispute. Blumenthal alleges "Fraud," a claim TEN denies, on the part that they are taking advantage of its monopoly on energy. Blumenthal has taken this matter before the court seeking an injunction to halt the shutdown of energy to the affected state office buildings.
Blumenthal decried to the media "we will not let Connecticut be held hostage by this company." The issue before the court is wether or not the state was fradulently overcharged 14 Million since the early 90's.
Rohback the attorney representing TEN in court offered the entire heating and piping systems up for state purchase. He alleges that the state contract is not that profitable and is willing to put them up for sale.
In lieu of this lawsuit the TEN Cos. prefer not to do business with the state and are aiming to withdraw service, or render it to another provider.
My personal opinion to bring this home, goes along with what I said in earlier posts about the greed, and antics of corporate energy in CT. I would much prefer choice and free enterprise when it comes to energy, but unfortunately we have a monopoly in town. Thankfully, that is changing if anyone would like to see emerging energy alternatives click This Link.
The notion of "Peak Oil" may soon be a myth, with the re-emergence of the Russian empire at its helm. While many old timers during the Reagan Gorbachev era thought Russia had gone bankrupt and then into a group of dissenting rogue colonies, may soon be disappointed to know that this could become cold war history.
The Russian oil empire, is growing again, and this time the success of Lukeoil may be pale in comparison. At the farthest reaches of the Russian empire every major corporate giant and their friends are building the largest oil and gas project ever created. This project is so enormous that the Discovery channel has featured it on their "Building the Ultimate" series. Some of the oil exploration rigs can only be built at the largest shipyard on earth of which is located in South Korea.
This construction is currently underway on the economically challenged island of Sakhalin. This area once a struggling fishing and timber based community has now become a international city comprised of five thousand foreigners from the oil and gas exploration and construction industry.
The local, Russian natives, needless to say are not happy with the unwelcome intrusion and have staged several environmental protests including the obstruction of routes and aggravated construction delays and protests. With Global billions in international investment already made, all environmental and ecological concerns are being placated but not tolerated insofar as stopping the completion of this mammoth project. Oil and Gas is expected to begin flowing within the next three years alleviating most peak oil concerns for a while.
If the projected estimates of the attainable gas and oil are correct this project will save the world from the fear of peak oil for the next several decades, and in the process will make Russia the dominant oil superpower in the world. Russia's thirst for oil is still not over, even despite this large discovery, believe it or not they are claiming the North Pole all its oil, Gas, and Minerals, to include valuable gems for themselves.
Without any doubt the debate over who owns the North Pole is now alive and well with every nation on earth doing its bidding. This scenario is an eerie repeat of who owned America after Columbus discovered it in 1492, hopefully Global warming now, making oil exploration more viable, will not lead to a repeat of history where the world is at war over these new found territories and their associated resources.
Should the Sakhalin's oil rich regions stave off peak oil, this should be our cue to to come up with our alternative energy plan, to include a hydrogen based economy. To say that this environmental disaster of a discovery, (and project) without some sort of an alternative energy lesson is without merit, would in fact be a sad future energy agenda. This dicovery should hopefully help alleviate the energy crisis in the US some time in the future.
The price of gasoline has gone up over the weekend and is expected to go a even higher, even though the price per barrel dropped today. My quest to get to the truth about our local oil shock always drives me to research and find answers.
This drive of mine increased when my local gas station at the corner of High St, and the Post Rd. dropped his franchise and became an independent operator. His gas station is now called "USA Fuel" and shortly up the Post Rd. there is yet another patriotic gas station called "Patriot" fuel.
The frenzy to compete on gasoline is causing these gas stations to dump their franchisers with the result of lowering the price per gallon. My first impression was that these gas stations are making a lot of money with the high price of gas, but in reality the price hurts the local station because it reduces demand for the gasoline and most franchises only pay the stations for a fixed profit per gallon.
Wanting to know more I went to the Post mall and bought a documentary called "A Crude Awakening." This was the best thing I ever did in truly understanding the energy and oil situation not only here in Milford but in all of America.
The overall message of the movie is that Americans believed our oil would never run out, that it would be here forever. This is proving to be the biggest mis-perception of the century. Every nation on earth is now copying the great consumptive life we have built for ourselves in America. China, India, and Europe all aspiring for individual ownership of a car, a home, and the countless cheap plastic products we have come to enjoy so much.
There is only one problem, and that is that our oil reserves cannot reasonably sustain the good life we have in America spanned across the globe. The worlds new found thirst for oil is causing all the major oil regions of the earth to peak pressuring more outrageous political pressures and competition for oil.
Every industrial government wants to fuel their energy needs, but the supply of oil is not capable of sustaining the rate of growth that the world economy demands. Oil dubbed as the black devil has been the subject of wars, including most recently the gulf war and Iraq's invasion of Kuwait. According to the "A Crude Awakening" documentary the only place left on earth that has not peaked in its oil production is the "war torn" Middle East.
America has no energy plan should our energy demands begin to wane below our needs. The consequences of not having a cheap source of energy are unthinkable, and too upsetting to even think about. Richard Branson of the Virgin Industries has called this problem "serious" and invested several billions of his own money to start "Virgin Fuel" of which I personally hope he succeeds.
The very embarrassment of the energy crisis has led to our political leaders not being honest, just reassuring the public that everything is under control while they know otherwise. This dire energy situation coupled with politics is akin to you or me making up a lame excuse for why our failure to afford our electric bill resulted in the lights going off. Even though America has not had its lights shut off, it has been served with a "shutoff notice." Unfortunately the 9 Trillion charged to the national credit card is now "maxed out."
Politicians cannot and do not want to campaign with bad news. The people of America are perpetually hopeful that America will remain the greatest nation on earth forever and are diseased with "selective reception" and "selective perception" and as such only lying politicians are getting elected. The sooner America wakes up the sooner we can soften what otherwise may be an abrupt crash caused by global energy competition. One last point to note is that, despite this documentary, the CEO of Exxon Mobil is of the opinion that we have plenty of supply to meet future deamand.
The environment has been an issue of mine for quite a while, but with limited local, state and federal resources to actually accomplish such a herculean task I believe it is important to focus on the removal of the most toxic compounds first.
One such compound that is of greatest concern to me and is considered a big problem for the entire Northeast is Mercury in our environment. Being in the Electronics industry, and soon after I learned of the mercury problem I instituted a Computer Recycling program to dispose of computer parts containing Mercury in an Eco-friendly way. But the computer industry is only a small part of the problem.
Coal burning power plants, like the one here in Milford, are also a big problem, because when coal is burned residual mercury contained in the coal itself is actually spewed into the environment through the plants smoke stacks. Energy companies, who also have excessive electric costs also compound the mercury problem by causing a surge in the sales of compact fluorescent bulbs that save energy, but also contain mercury. Mercury is a major health hazard and is directly connected to a pandemic neurological and brain disorders, that can induce Autism, Muscular Sclerosis, Attention Deficit Disorder, memory loss, and many other devastating diseases. With record sales of compact fluorescent bulbs due to record spikes in electricity mercury in the Northeast needs to be addressed as the number one health hazard to the general public. Signs such as this one in Ohio may become more commonplace if we do not adress this problem right away.
Anyone who has any products containing mercury, including T.V.'s, old thermostats, neon, monitors or compact fluorescent bulbs, should not break them, trash them, or put them in a place where they can come in contact with the ground water. Mercury if ingested, can and does cause neurological damage. Other sources of mercury can be found in dental fillings from years back, but the most recent positive change on the mercury front is that all modern batteries no longer contain mercury after the year 2000.
Today's post is a renewed call to our local legislators that the high cost of electricity is elevating the introduction of mercury in our environment at an alarming rate and a remediation plan needs to addressed immediately for the safety of children who may be at risk of exposure.
Today was the day I left my office to pay my electric bill at ShopRite on Cherry Street. While I was there it was an opportunity to speak to the desk clerk about local citizens, and business owners. They were kind enough to share their experiences with the power struggle in CT.
The clerk told me that activity at the desk was higher than usual in the last year with more people paying their bill partially. This is consistent with the UI conference call that indicates their "Uncollected Recievables" to be higher.
Despite our personal energy struggles here in town, these higher rates have been great news for UI this third quarter. Even with the UI executives commenting on a warmer winter so far this year over last their per share jump grew by a whopping 75%. Most of these executives focused their time down playing this profit and redirected their conversation to all their liabilities of which include their Milford pollution project of a new power plant part of a 700 Million dollar upgrade in conjunction with Energy Inc. In other words it appears they they are "cooking the books" to hide their shameful 75% profit increase.
Gov. Rell indicated that CT has had its power nearly double over the last 7 years, and the massive UI conglomerate continues to aggressively pursue generation in CT. The DPUC on June 1st 08, is set to rule on the approval of this project, and yet there is still no comment on how these plants are going to produce energy. My concern is that if these projects, like the Norwalk Project now half done is going to be a gas based project.
The North East barely has enough gas to fuel our basic needs let alone power generation. If the construction of these "peak energy" plants, (of which I believe are just a ruse to take advantage of CT's outrageous electric costs) is going to burn natural gas than we will have more of a compelling reason for the construction of a massive LNG nightmare.
UI must be confronted on this as should be Jim Amann who opposed the "Windfall Profits Tax" that Blumenthal proposed. Milford residents keep getting betrayed on energy by politicians like Amann who continue to tell us one thing while deciding in favor of big corporations. Call Jim Amann and voice your opposition to the Milford power plant and the LNG that will soon be associated with it in our sound. Demand the implementation of the "Windfall profits tax."
