Connecticut's utility regulator is expected to rule by July 2026 on whether Eversource can recover $1.5 billion in deferred storm costs from ratepayers across the state — a decision that could raise monthly electric bills for West Haven customers and all others in the Eversource service territory.
The dispute stems from more than $1.2 billion in storm repair costs Eversource deferred across 43 weather events between 2018 and 2023. Because those costs went unreviewed for years — a delay Eversource attributes to misconduct by the state's former utility regulator — the company says it is also owed $327 million in carrying charges, the interest that accrued while awaiting regulatory approval. The total stands at $1.5 billion and continues growing at roughly $8 million per month.
Regulator accused of misconduct
Eversource has filed detailed allegations against former Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) Chair Marissa Gillett, claiming she inappropriately delayed or dismissed the company's applications to recover storm costs — first in December 2023, when PURA rejected a $634 million filing covering costs through 2021, and again in 2024, when an additional $173 million submission was also denied. Eversource alleged Gillett withheld documents and may have committed perjury before the commission. PURA later acknowledged that her conduct violated state statutes.
Gillett resigned in October 2025 following what colleagues described as an acrimonious relationship with the utility industry. Gov. Ned Lamont, who had backed her for another term as recently as May 2024, ultimately replaced her and expanded PURA from three to five commissioners, appointing four new members to lead the reconstituted board. Gillett has not publicly responded to the specific allegations made in the PURA proceedings, according to available reporting.
What customers could pay
If PURA approves full cost recovery, the impact on West Haven residents' bills will depend heavily on the financing mechanism used. Eversource has proposed securitization — a method that spreads recovery costs over a longer term — which it estimates would increase average customer bills by $1 to $2 per month over 20 years. Without securitization, that monthly impact could reach as high as $10.
The central point of contention is the $327 million in carrying charges. The Office of Consumer Counsel, which represents ratepayers in PURA proceedings, disputes whether customers should absorb interest costs that accumulated because of regulatory delays rather than any action by ratepayers themselves. Eversource has proposed settling the matter with the OCC, the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, and other state agencies before PURA issues its expected July 2026 ruling.
Eversource has also said it plans to file a separate distribution rate change request by mid-year 2026 — meaning West Haven customers could face more than one utility proceeding affecting their bills in the months ahead.
Blizzard Calvin renews public scrutiny
The storm cost dispute gained renewed public attention when Blizzard Calvin struck Connecticut on February 23, 2026. Eversource reported a peak of 14,576 outages statewide, with West Haven among the municipalities placed under parking bans during the storm. The utility deployed 700 crews — including out-of-state teams — for restoration efforts, and officials warned that some customers could wait four to six days for power to return.
The outages rekindled public frustration over utility accountability at precisely the moment regulators are weighing how to divide years of accumulated storm costs between the utility and its customers. CT Inside Investigator published a detailed account of the PURA allegations against Gillett on February 24, 2026.
As of early March 2026, no West Haven officials have filed formal comments in the PURA storm cost docket. Residents can monitor case filings through the PURA website at portal.ct.gov.
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