The following commentary was written by Adam Gallaher, a Ph.D. student at the University of Connecticut researching energy and electricity issues in Connecticut and New England. See our commentary guidelines for more information.
Connecticut and New England have a natural gas problem, the likes of which recently emerged in consumers’ utility bills.
On Nov. 4, 2021, the State of Connecticut Office of Consumer Counsel released a notice warning consumers of an impending increase in the supply rate for electricity. Many factors influence supply rates, such as the price of natural gas, increased demand for electricity, and extreme weather. Natural gas prices are the highest they have been since February 2014.
The recent Nor’easter gave us a cold reminder of the reliance New England has on natural gas. By reducing our…