State calls for investigation into Eversource Energy practices

Probe requested after Kevin Rennie column in Courant

Attorney General William Tong and the state Office of Consumer Counsel on Wednesday filed a petition with utility regulators calling for an investigation into the marketing tactics of Eversource Energy, the state’s largest utility company.

The filing with the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority comes in response to concerns raised by Kevin Rennie, a Hartford Courant columnist and former state representative. Rennie said the company used misleading information to try to get customers in South Windsor to convert from oil to natural gas.

“The people of Connecticut should not be subjected to deceptive, high-pressure marketing tactics that possibly violate the laws of the state,’’ said Acting Consumer Counsel Richard E. Sobolewski. “That Eversource would sink to such base tactics speaks volumes about their current desperation as a company. In the past year, Eversource has lost the trust of most

to the voters and pledged to work hard for the district. He captured about 52% of the vote.

“Now the real work begins: It’s time to bring a positive change to our state gov’t and a brighter future for Connecticut,’’ he said.

The 36th Senate District had been held by Republicans since 1930. But in recent election cycles, it had been trending Democratic, buoyed larger by the unpopularity of Donald Trump among suburban voters. Democrat Alex Kasser won the seat in 2018 and President Joe Biden won the district by 25 percentage points in 2020.

Fazio, who narrowly lost to Kasser in November, ran an energetic campaign, buoyed by support from state Republican leaders and the Republican National Committee.

“We ran a vigorous campaign with a well-crafted message that Connecticut simply needs and deserves to do better,’’ said Ben Proto, the newly elected chairman of the Connecticut Republican Party.

The district, which includes all of Greenwich and parts of Stamford and New Canaan, opened up earlier this year when Kasser announced she was stepping down.

“We didn’t have much time to get our message out in this brief special election, but I am so proud of the campaign we built together and everything we did accomplish,” Gevanter said in a written statement. “Despite … disappointing results, my commitment to the very values that make our community the inclusive, kind, and caring place we are all proud to call home has never been stronger.”

Kevin Kelly, the Republican leader in the state Senate, congratulated Fazio on his win.

“CT Republicans’ better way is resonating with young people who want to better our state,” Kelly wrote on Twitter. “The next generation is standing up as Republicans, and as candidates, and they are not afraid to make their voices heard and advocate for change.”

Fairfield County, once solidly Republican, has shifted to purple as Democrats have made a series of gains especially through the Trump and Biden presidential elections. Biden won Greenwich, Stamford and New Canaan in the 2020 election by over 33,000 votes, sweeping the three municipals with 61.4% of the votes in Greenwich, 68.1% in Stamford and 59.1% in New Canaan.

Democrats will hold a 23-13 advantage in the Senate following Fazio’s win.