Substitute Senate Bill No. 7 introduces comprehensive changes to Connecticut's energy laws, focusing on consumer protection, rate regulation, and the promotion of clean energy. The bill amends various sections of the general statutes to enhance the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority's (PURA) oversight of public service companies and to ensure fair and transparent billing practices for consumers. Key insertions include giving PURA discretion to determine decoupling mechanisms for gas and electric companies, prohibiting public service companies from recovering certain non-operational costs, and allowing PURA to adopt settlements from alternative dispute resolution in rate cases. The bill also prohibits the reauthorization of on-bill reconciling mechanisms for new electric plant additions and requires PURA to consider specific factors when determining a reasonable rate of return for utility companies.

The bill further outlines the process for stakeholder participation in proceedings, setting compensation limits for stakeholder groups and requiring detailed applications for compensation. It mandates that electric distribution companies include specific information on customer bills and establishes a standard billing format. Additionally, the bill sets forth requirements for the procurement of clean energy resources and the operation of shared clean energy facilities, including provisions for low-income customers. It also defines various terms related to the energy industry, including the addition of nuclear power as a Class I renewable energy source under certain conditions. Lastly, the bill addresses the regulation of public utilities, including ethical standards for utility commissioners, the investigation of low-income rates, and the reporting of accidents and outages. It also amends laws related to the recovery of costs by gas and electric companies, the establishment of the Nuclear Energy Advisory Council, and the assessment of taxes on renewable energy sources.

Statutes affected:
Committee Bill: 16-19jj, 16-19yy, 16-19, 16-19bb, 16-35, 16-16, 16-19ee
ET Joint Favorable Substitute: 16-19jj, 16-19yy, 16-19, 16-19bb, 16-35, 16-16, 16-19ee
File No. 338: 16-19jj, 16-19yy, 16-19, 16-19bb, 16-35, 16-16, 16-19ee
APP Joint Favorable: 16-19jj, 16-19yy, 16-19, 16-19bb, 16-35, 16-16, 16-19ee
Public Act No. 23-102: 16-19jj, 16-19, 16-8, 16-19bb, 16-35, 16-16, 16-19ee, 16-245d, 16-2, 16-4, 16-2c, 16-244z, 16-258e