The Public Benefits Charge offers the best path to reducing energy costs.
The Public Benefits Charge is a portion of your electric bill that funds essential programs for energy efficiency, renewable energy, and other systems benefits. It keeps our electric grid running smoothly, cuts air pollution and saves money.
Since its inception, the Conservation and Load Management program funded by the Public Benefits Charge has lowered energy burdens for more than half a million families and businesses.
For each kilowatt hour of energy used:
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1/10th of 1 cent goes to renewable energy programs, and
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7/10ths of 1 cent go to energy efficiency programs that reduce costs for Connecticut residents—programs you may qualify for!
These investments save ratepayers far more than they cost. Every dollar invested in energy efficiency generates $3.50 in benefits. In 2024 alone, these programs resulted in $39.4 million in energy savings.
In 2024, energy efficiency programs saved enough energy to power 31,528 homes for a year.
Act now to ask your legislators to protect the public benefits charge, the best way for CT families to save on their electric bills long-term.
What's at Risk:
With affordability high on everyone’s priority list, eliminating the Public Benefits Charge has been raised as a simple, if misleading solution to lower electric bills. But the programs this charge funds are the best solution to high bills, not the source of the problem.
Eliminating the Public Benefits Charge wouldn’t reduce your bill, it would force higher spending on the energy distribution system, transmission, and supply. 2024 program results show that investments in energy efficiency saved more than $39 million in transmission and distribution costs across the state—costs that would have been passed on to ratepayers. Eliminating the Public Benefits Charge wouldn’t improve affordability; it would just cause other parts of the bill to go up.
Last year, our energy savings were equivalent to a 58 mW power plant. That’s a power plant we don’t have to build; energy we don’t have to buy on the market. Energy efficiency programs create savings for everyone, system wide, and must be protected to safeguard affordability in Connecticut.
Join organizations like People's Action for Clean Energy and Efficiency for All in helping businesses and families save money by improving the energy efficiency of their homes and offices