Regulators reach $3M settlement with Avangrid

Connecticut’s Public Utilities Regulatory Authority has approved a $3 million settlement with Avangrid that will help pay off some of its utility customers’ debt.

PURA officials approved the settlement last week after determining that Avangrid’s subsidiaries, Southern Connecticut Gas and Connecticut Natural Gas, violated state statutes by failing to “conspicuously indicate in all advertising whether the costs of the advertisement were paid for by the company’s shareholders, its customers, or both.”

Of Avangrid’s total settlement, $2.7 million will help pay down delinquencies customers owe the company. The remaining $300,000 will be used to help advocacy organizations conduct outreach and education efforts regarding utility benefits that are available to lowincome customers.

Gage Frank, an Avangrid spokesperson, said company officials “worked cooperatively with regulatory parties to reach a settlement that benefits our customers.”

“This settlement allows the company to credit the arrearage balances of our most vulnerable customers,” Frank said. “UI continues to provide energy assistance options to customers facing financial hardship year-round.”