CT officials say stricter federal oversight could drive down high cost of electricity

Stricter federal oversight could help drive down the high cost of electricity, according to U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and state officials.

Blumenthal said at a news briefing outside the state Capitol in Hartford on Monday that the cost of electricity is high in Connecticut, partly because consumers pay for the cost of transmission projects through the public benefits portion of their bills.

He said those projects have increased in the past few years because they are profitable for utilities.

“The amount has risen to about $1.2 billion, twenty times what it was less than 10 years ago. And it is estimated to rise to as much as $6 billion in the next few years based on what the utilities are planning,” Blumenthal said.

He dismissed the argument that the projects improve reliabil