Good news for CT ratepayers

Eversource backs out of three solar projects supported by state

In a blow to Connecticut’s ongoing efforts to procure new sources of clean, carbon-free electricity, Eversource informed state officials last month that the utility company was opting out of three publicly-bid contracts to purchase 54 megawatts of solar power on behalf of its customers.

Eversource Deputy General Counsel Duncan R. MacKay sent a letter to the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection and legislative leaders on March 27, slamming the agency’s latest round of clean-energy purchases as overpriced and likely to result in an increase of the public benefits charge.

For those reasons — as well as what he described as the lack of “comprehensive” energy strategy in Connecticut — MacKay said the company would decline to enter into the contracts.

“The prospect of committing another $238 million of customer money over the next 20 years is concerning to Eversource and is a clear divergence from a much-needed affordability lens,” MacKay wrote. “Because the pricing for the contracts is over-market and the contracts do not add value to customers in terms of materially increasing available generation supply and offering a pathway to lower generation costs, contract execution does not appear to be in the customer interest.”

And then the usual bullshit from the DEP, including the endlessly-repeated lie that solar energy is cheaper than gas or coal

In an emailed statement on Monday, DEEP spokesman Will Healey called the company’s decision to back out of the contracts “surprising” given the need for new power supplies to meet growing demand on the regional electric grid.

“The solar projects selected in this procurement will lower costs for Connecticut ratepayers and scored the highest in our evaluation during the bid review process. Eversource was part of that bid review process and had voiced no concerns or objections at any point of the evaluation and selection process,” Healey said. “Additionally, Eversource has raised no objection to signing contracts with Massachusetts for the very same projects they claim are unaffordable or unsupportable in Connecticut.”

An Eversource spokesperson declined to comment further on the letter.

As well it should.