More than five weeks into the job, the new Northeast Utilities CEO Thomas J. May held unprecedented 30-minute Connecticut press conference Wednesday where he reminded reporters that he was a “poor kid from the streets of Hartford,” and that he grew up in the shadows of Trinity College.

Continue reading "New CEO Promises Better Response Time, But Says New Regulations May Increase Costs" »

Only minutes before the midnight deadline for the legislative year came to a close Wednesday, state Rep. Lonnie Reed’s cell tower bill was unanimously approved by the state Senate.

Continue reading "Frantic Texts Save Cell Tower Bill" »

In a brief show of bipartisanship Wednesday, the House unanimously voted to hold utility companies accountable for storm restoration and power outages.

Continue reading "Storm Bill Headed To Gov. As Lawmakers Battle In Waning Hours" »

Tags: senate, House, Republican, Democrat, session, jobs expansion, minimum wage, Michael Lee-Murphy, dh

The state Senate overwhelmingly approved legislation Saturday which will help improve state and utility company response to widespread power outages created by natural disasters.

Continue reading "Storm Response Bill Clears Senate, Includes Utility Penalties" »

Tags: October snowstorm, Tropical Storm Irene, cellphone, utility, Connecticut Light & Power, dh

Nearly five months after the second of two storms left some without power for over a week, two bills that would increase government oversight of the state’s utilities received a public hearing Tuesday.

Continue reading "Public Offers Support for Bills Increasing Government Oversight of Utilities" »

Tags: energy, technology, Connecticut Light & Power, linemen, unions, IBEW, two storm panel

The legislature’s Democratic majority proposed capping the gasoline gross receipts tax for one year following months and some would argue years of Republican lawmakers trying to push for similar measures.

Continue reading "Democrats Warm to Idea of Gas Tax Cap, But Limit It To One Year" »

Tags: gross receipts tax, gasoline, oil, wholesale, taxes, Democrats, Republicans

If a deal between the state of Connecticut and Northeast Utilities is approved by the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority, the state will get a $25 million rate credit soon after the merger with Boston-based NStar is completed. That means 1.2 million Connecticut Light & Power customers would receive an estimated $16 credit.

Continue reading "State Reaches Agreement With Northeast Utilities/NStar" »

Tags: Northeast Utilities, october snow storm, Tropical Storm Irene, reduction, electricity, NStar, regulators

(Updated 6:15 p.m.) Environmental activists from across the state packed a hearing room last week to argue against the proposed rollback of a recent law banning pesticides on school grounds.

Continue reading "School Pesticide Ban Faces Rollback Threat" »

Tags: pesticide, chemical, schools, playing field, recreation, Ed Meyer, Richard Roy

A bill aiming to keep a popular trap used by hunters away from children has been referred to the Children’s Committee, but opponents say its supporters have misled people about the dangers of the traps.

Continue reading "Lawmaker Seeks To Ban Use of Leg-Hold Traps Near Schools" »

(Updated 4:37 p.m.) The Judiciary Committee will hear testimony Wednesday on a bill to allow people with debilitating medical conditions to use marijuana legally.

Continue reading "High Hopes for Medical Marijuana Bill This Year" »

Tags: marijuana, medical, debate, Judiciary, Malloy, Gerald Fox, John Kissel