Page 24 - CLT083120

24 ¦ AUGUST 31, 2020 NEWS

Lawyers Discuss Blumenthal’s Call
To Break Up Eversource Energy

By Robert Storace

A Connecticut U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal in July 2019. Photo: Diego M. Radzinschi/ALM
mid two investigations into Eversource En- be detrimental to Connecticut residents and their
ergy’s response to Tropical Storm Isaias, a pocketbooks.
Democratice Connecticut lawmaker has “The main downside for the consumer is there
called on the Legislature to consider breaking up the will be increased prices, and there is no guarantee
state’s largest utility company. that someone else will increase reliability of the sys-
Critics say the utility company was lax and unpre- tem,” said Hoffman, an attorney for 25 years and past
pared in its response to the storm, which left more chairperson of the Connecticut Bar Association’s En-
than 700,000 residents without electricity, some for ergy, Public Utilities and Communications Section.
more than a week. But not everyone is on board with The ratepayers, Hoffman said, “would have to pay
U.S. Sen, Richard Blumenthal’s call for a possible Eversource for the cost of breaking them up and
utility breakup. they would still have to pay a new utility. It could
Lee Hoffman, co-chair of the real estate, en- backfire for the consumer.”
ergy, environmental and land use practice group But the state’s senior senator said he sees “no real
at Pullman & Comley, believes any breakup could downside” to a possible breakup.

CONNECTICUT
Law Tribune