New Haven Register (New Haven, CT)
420K electric, natural gas customers behind on bills
About 420,000 Connecticut customers of Eversource Energy and Avangrid's electric and natural gas utilities were more than 30 days behind in paying their bills last month, according to Claire Coleman, the state's Consumer Counsel.
That figure has Coleman and state officials, as well as social services advocates, worried what will happen once the home heating season starts a couple of months from now.
While the price of gas has slowly declined over much of the summer, natural gas and home heating oil prices remain high as summer comes to an end. Home heating oil prices are up 98.5 percent from this time last year, according to the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics, while natural gas is up 38.9 percent over the same period.
State and federal leaders want the U.S. Senate Appropriations committee to fund an emergency appropriation to boost funding available to low- and moderate-income families.
“It's important that this happen so that low-income residents don't have to choose between paying for food,” said Joanne Balaschak, director of energy services for New Opportunities Inc., a Waterbury social services agency. Balaschak said these are individuals who are working two or three jobs, but whose wages can't keep pace with energy costs.
The state's independent home heating oil dealers are working with their customer “to soften the blow,” said Chris Herb, president of the Connecticut Energy Marketers Association, the industry's trade group.
“A lot of our dealers are adjusting budget payments for customers already on those plans and are trying to move customers who aren't on budget plans onto them,” Herb said. “People of limited means are not seeing any recognition that energy prices are off the charts.”
The draft budget for the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program includes a $200 million increase, but Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., said that amount is inadequate. “Fuel prices are skyrocketing,” Blumenthal said.