Why Are Connecticut Ratepayers Bankrolling Out-of-State Experiments?
While families struggle to keep the lights on, state regulators are quietly greenlighting programs that will cost over $1 BILLION – and the burden is falling squarely on you.
At the center of it all is the Innovative Energy Solutions (IES) program, a Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) initiative that’s funneling ratepayer money into experimental technologies developed by companies based far outside our state – mostly in places like California.
These aren’t targeted energy upgrades. These are unproven tech pilots, often led by startups with deep venture capital pockets, who are using our grid – and our money – to test their ideas.
A Billion-Dollar Burden on Working Families
Hispanic families already face a 24% higher energy burden
Now, we’re being asked to fund technologies that don’t lower their bills and don’t serve our communities
These pilot projects are part of a much larger policy push
Including EV charging buildouts, smart meter rollouts, and other programs – that are expected to cost ratepayers over $1 billion
PURA has already approved $20 million in pilot funding through IES
All of which is recovered directly through your utility bills
Our Families Deserve Better
For Hispanic households – who are already stretched thin – this policy approach hits especially hard. Every dollar spent on experimental technologies from states like California is a dollar not spent improving our local grid, lowering bills, or investing in equity-focused solutions that support working families here in Connecticut.
We’re told these programs are about innovation. But when innovation is done without accountability, without inclusion, and without local benefit – it’s just another burden.
And make no mistake: Connecticut residents are being double-billed – first through energy charges, and then again through programs like Connecticut Innovations, which invest in the very same companies receiving IES funds.
PROJECTED COST OF PURA ENERGY PROGRAMS ($)
%
HIGHER ENERGY BURDEN ON HISPANIC HOUSEHOLDS
Where’s the Money Going? Not Here.
Millions are leaving Connecticut – but the benefits aren’t staying behind.
Despite IES being positioned as equitable, cost-effective innovation, the facts say otherwise:
Only 2 of 16 funded projects are based in Connecticut.
That means more than 85% of the IES pilot funding is supporting companies with no roots here – no job guarantees, no office locations, and no long-term community investments.
These companies are using Connecticut as a testing ground, not a partner.
No local hiring requirements.
Some companies admitted they have no plans to hire locally. Others are outsourcing work entirely or are focused on market tests, not workforce development.
For example, one California company secured over $1 million in funding for its EV charging pilot – with zero dollars going toward Connecticut jobs.
Utilities are required to pass PURA-approved costs onto your bill.
These pilot programs aren’t funded by state budgets or private grants – they’re authorized by PURA and directly charged to ratepayers through utility rate adjustments.
That means companies like United Illuminating and Eversource are legally obligated to collect these costs, even if they have concerns about the structure or value of the programs themselves.
It’s a regulatory mandate – not a utility-driven choice.
Even private companies with venture capital backing are cashing in.
Take AmpUp—a startup from California that raised $15 million from investors, including Connecticut Innovations (a state-funded VC).
Even with that capital, they’re still receiving money from ratepayers.
In other words, you’re paying twice – once through your bill, and again through your tax-funded investment agencies.
Projects don’t guarantee savings or results.
These are pilot programs – meaning they’re designed to test whether something might work.
PURA has acknowledged that these technologies are unproven and may fail. There are no guaranteed returns, no hard timelines, and no performance-based clawbacks if companies walk away or under-deliver.
Real problems go unfunded.
While millions are being spent on high-concept experiments, PURA’s other regulatory decisions are forcing utility companies to pull back from essential grid upgrades.
That means longer outages, deferred maintenance, and rising costs for everyone – especially in communities that need upgrades the most.
This billion-dollar policy agenda isn’t targeted, inclusive, or accountable. It’s experimental – and risky.
if it continues unchecked, Connecticut ratepayers, especially Hispanic families, will be left paying more and getting less.
We Need Smart Investment Not Experimental Giveaways
Public dollars should build stronger communities – not bankroll someone else’s idea of innovation.
Right now, millions of ratepayer-funded dollars are being poured into speculative projects with no local job guarantees, no measurable community benefits, and no transparency. That’s not investment – that’s extraction.
Here’s what real investment should look like:
Upgrade aging infrastructure in underserved communities.
Blackouts, brownouts, and outdated equipment are far too common in Hispanic neighborhoods. Let’s prioritize the areas that have been historically left behind.
Lower costs for those carrying the heaviest burden.
Hispanic families already spend 24% more of their income on energy. Programs should aim to relieve that burden, not add to it.
Create local jobs and workforce pathways.
Whether it’s electricians, lineworkers, or clean energy technicians – energy investments should train and hire local talent, especially from underrepresented communities.
Support proven, community-backed solutions.
We don’t need to gamble on new tech from out-of-state startups. We need to scale up what’s already working – like efficiency upgrades, microgrids, or bilingual consumer education.
What You Can Do
This fight is about more than policy – it’s about fairness, inclusion, and respect for the people footing the bill.
Here’s how you can raise your voice and make change happen:
📞 Call or email your state legislators.
Tell them you oppose using utility bills to fund unproven out-of-state tech. Ask them to support legislation that requires more transparency, local hiring, and measurable ratepayer benefits for every program approved by PURA.
📢 Demand a full audit of IES and PURA’s energy spending agenda.
We need to know where the money is going, who’s benefiting, and what families are getting in return. No more blank checks.
🧠 Educate your neighbors and local leaders.
Most people don’t know their bills are being used to fund these programs. Share this information with local community groups, school boards, neighborhood associations – make this an issue they can’t ignore.
🤝 Join NHEC’s grassroots advocacy network.
We’re organizing across Connecticut and beyond to put Hispanic families at the center of energy conversations. Whether you want to volunteer, testify, or simply stay informed – you are part of this movement.
