AG Tong Concludes Eversource Gas Marketing Case With $1.6 Million Payment to Operation Fuel, $200,000 for Education and Enforcement.

Attorney General William Tong has settled the second part of claims arising out of Eversource’s marketing of gas services in South Windsor. The utility will pay $1.8 million to resolve the action, $1.6 million of the payment will go to Operation Fuel to provide assistance to low-income ratepayers.

I’m not usually part of a story I report. I wrote a column last year about Eversource marketing its natural gas services in the neighborhood where I live. The company repeatedly told residents through mailings and visits that if we did not connect to the newly installed gas lines in the street the town’s repaving program would preclude anyone from connecting for several years.

The town, Eversource said, was planning to repave the street soon. Once the repaving was completed, the town would prohibit cuts in the pavement to connect to gas even if one’s oil furnace failed. The town, however, has no plans to repave the street in the foreseeable future.

“Eversource misled homeowners to get them to switch to natural gas. These high-pressure tactics are unacceptable coming from any business, much less a regulated utility. Eversource has already paid a $1.8 million civil penalty imposed by the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA), and now they will pay an additional $1.8 million to settle these serious consumer protection allegations,” said Attorney General Tong in a statement Tuesday.

Eversource’s settlement with PURA included a $1.8 million payment to Operation Fuel.

Published July 19, 2022.