In their one-page decision issued Wednesday, the regulators wrote, “The Authority reaffirms and rules, consistent with past precedent, that applicants in the present proceeding must demonstrate that the proposed merger is in the public interest in order to gain PURA approval.”

Attorney General George Jepsen said he appreciated the PURA’s swift response. “This is an important step forward for consumers. It means that this merger cannot be approved unless it benefits not only utility shareholders, but the ratepayers in Connecticut.  I will continue to press for real tangible benefits to all Connecticut Light & Power Co. and Yankee Gas customers,” Jepsen said.

Consumer Counsel Elin Swanson Katz said “PURA confirmed that Northeast Utilities and NSTAR need to show us that their proposed merger will be good for Connecticut’s ratepayers. We were confident that this was the correct standard, and we thank the PURA for quickly clarifying that. Connecticut ratepayers should feel very comfortable with this decision.”

Hearings before the PURA on the proposed merger begin next week. The schedule calls for a proposed draft decision March 26 and a final decision April 2.

Assistant Attorneys General Michael Wertheimer and John Wright are representing the Attorney General in this matter with Associate Attorney General Joseph Rubin. Staff Attorneys Victoria Hackett and Joseph Rosenthal are representing the Consumer Counsel.

State residents can now access this information via either computer or Smartphone thanks to a partnership recently formed between the Energy Efficiency Fund and TopTen USA, an independent not-for-profit whose sole objective is “to identify and promote the sale of the most energy-efficient consumer products on the market.”

To accomplish this, The Energy Efficiency Fund and TopTen USA have posted a comprehensive list of the 10 most efficient current appliance models in 18 categories at its web site, www.toptenusa.org/ct, complete with product and pricing descriptions and information on how the list was compiled. The site features a store locator that enables consumers to find the nearest retail locations where various products on the list can be purchased.

Featured product categories include small, medium and large-size TVs; large and small computer monitors; laptop and non-expandable desktop computers; refrigerators of all sizes; freezers; dishwashers; clothes washers, hot water heaters and more.

www.toptenusa.org/ct relies on an experienced board of independent advisors and expert technical consultants to choose the best options in each category, using a variety of criteria, including government and independent testing and analysis results and ENERGY STAR data. TopTen products are high efficiency products that consume an average of 47 percent less energy than baseline ENERGY STAR products.

All items selected are name-brand products that are similar in features, design and price to less efficient ones being marketed by the same group of quality manufacturers.

Information provided to consumers by www.toptenusa.org/ct includes the approximate savings they can realize over time by purchasing particular products on the list, the availability of rebates, and quality reviews of TopTen-rated items posted by those who have used them. While energy efficiency is the key factor on which ratings are based, product evaluations may also include other environmental impacts, as well as health and safety considerations.

“Our joining forces with TopTen USA has allowed us to offer consumers an important new tool in keeping their energy costs down, and has added a dynamic new dimension to the Energy Efficiency Fund’s ongoing efforts to educate the public on the latest and best ways to reduce consumption,” declared Richard W. Steeves, First Vice Chairperson of the Energy Efficiency Fund.” It will also better enable consumers to take an active role in reducing green house gas emissions, preservation of our resources and in helping to slow climate change,” he added.

“Congratulations to the Energy Efficiency Fund for making Connecticut the first state in the nation to offer this valuable service to their residents,” stated Norman L. Dean, Executive Director of TopTen USA.

TopTen USA is affiliated with an international consortium of TopTen organizations in 17 European nations, which are already having significant influence on global purchasing decisions. It also has received the endorsement of major environmental organizations that include the World Wildlife Fund, Natural Resources Defense Council and Environment America.

About the Connecticut Energy Efficiency Fund

The Energy Efficiency Fund promotes efficient energy use, helps residents and businesses save on their electric and natural gas bills, advances economic development, reduces electric demand, and helps reduce air pollution. Energy Efficiency Fund programs serve residential customers, including limited- and fixed-income customers, as well as business and municipal customers. Connecticut’s energy efficiency programs are funded by a charge on customers’ utility bills and administered by the state’s electric and gas utilities including: Connecticut Light and Power, United Illuminating, Yankee Gas, Connecticut Natural Gas, and Southern Connecticut Gas. Additional information on Connecticut’s energy efficiency programs can be found at www.ctenergyinfo.com or by calling 1.877.WISE.USE.

“These reimbursements are a good first step in compensating our residents for the long-term outages that occurred as a result of the October Nor’easter.  But the real task at hand is making sure that our utility companies are better prepared to handle an event like this the next time it comes around.

“We’ve learned much since the two storms hit Connecticut last year, both from the Witt Report and the recommendations from the Two Storm Panel.  Earlier this month, I announced a set of proposals that will help to put our utility companies and state and local governments in a better position to plan for and respond to an emergency.

“In the coming days, we’re going to introduce a bill that will raise the standards and benchmarks that PURA will implement for utility companies, regulations that will provide a clear incentive for proper preparation and timely repairs.

“And later this year, our Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection will conduct the largest state-wide emergency preparedness drill in recent history, so that we know what to do when a real time situation comes our way.

“These are concrete steps that will improve our emergency response, but they by no means represent the totality of our actions.  Effective emergency management demands that we constantly evolve and improve, and my administration will do just that in the weeks and months ahead.”

CL&P today announced that approximately 192,000 Connecticut residents will receive a credit for $140 as a result of the long-term power outages following the October Nor’easter.  Initially, the utility offered to set up a fund of $10 million, but they increased that contribution to $30 million after the Governor told them he thought it was inadequate given the extent of hardship many residents faced.

That is according to today’s story in the Hartford Business Journal by Greg Bordonaro and Brad Kane.

UIL, the holding company for United Illuminating as well as Connecticut Natural Gas Corporation (CNG), The Southern Connecticut Gas Company (SCG), and The Berkshire Gas Company (BGC), hired 23 lobbyists and NU, owner of  Connecticut Power & Light Co., hired 16 for the General Assembly session that starts Feb. 8.

Both companies – especially NU – will be under the gun to spend more money to prepare for major storms, for which they want customers as opposed to stockholders pay, no matter what the history of the issue might be.

“Other groups with the most hired guns include the Connecticut Hospital Association (19), Connecticut Voices for Children (17), Connecticut Fund for the Environment (16), AT&T (16), the Connecticut Business & Industry Association (14) and the Connecticut Education Association (14), according to HBJ’s analysis of data from the Office of State Ethics,” says the story.