Governor Rell vetoed a controversial energy bill, saying she was skeptical it would lower raise utility rates and "deeply troubled by the lack of transparency and critical public input" preceding its passage in the final hours of the legislative session.
Drafted by the co-chairs of the Energy and Technology Committee, Senator John W. Fonfara (D-Hartford) and Rep. Vicki O. Nardello (D- Cheshire), the bill called for reducing electricity costs by 15 percent in two years, restructuring the state's Department of Utility Control, improving energy efficiency and providing a major commitment to solar photovoltaic power in Connecticut.
UI's Vallilo, on Rell's veto, "seemed like the right thing to do" but added, "some things made sense to do."
Attorney General Richard Blumenthal joined environmental groups and others in expressing disappointment with Rell's decision, saying her veto "gave Big Power a gargantuan gift" by "killing legislation that would provide desperately needed rate relief."
The governor's arguments for her decision echoed those made by the bill's opponents.
She said the bill was "eerily reminiscent" of claims made by supporters of the landmark 1998 deregulation bill, who said it would provide a solution to rising energy rates, which are now among the highest in the nation.
She also said the price of increasing incentives for solar power was too high.
Vowing to try to overturn the veto, Fonfara refuted Rell's assertions, saying the bill "drew on input from the public testimony of many experts, professionals, and renewable energy advocates" and "carefully selected the best ideas from multiple pieces of earlier legislation."
Nardello was optimistic a similar bill would pass next year.
UI president and chief operation officer Anthony J. Vallillo said the utility was "overall supportive of what the governor did.
"We think it was the right thing for her to do, for all the reasons she pointed out in her press release."
However, Vallilo noted some parts of the bill "make sense," such as "allowing us more flexibility in how we contract for power" and authorizing discounted electric rates for low-income customers.
"We're going to continue to advocate for those kinds of things," he said. "These energy bills that have come out since restructuring have some good ideas and some that are bad. The problem is they throw everything together."
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