AARP Survey: Mature Connecticut Voters Are Concerned About Utility Rates

Mature, registered voters in Connecticut do not believe that their interests are taken into consideration when rate increases are proposed. About three-quarters (73 percent) are concerned about the cost of their electricity going up – and believe that there should be restrictions on how suppliers and companies sell electricity services to them – according to results of a survey just released by AARP.

The AARP Connecticut Utilities Study, a telephone poll, was conducted among 800 state residents over the age of 45 from October 31 through November 10.

Among the key findings of the poll are the following:

• Nearly nine in ten (85 percent) respondents want the state to strengthen consumer protections around utility rates and services.
• Eighty-eight percent believe Connecticut should continue to require companies to provide consumers with default standard electric supply plans.
• Nearly two-thirds (61 percent) of registered voters deem that electricity providers should not be able to sell their services door-to-door.
• More than seven in ten (71 percent) have major or minor concerns about paying for household utilities.

The standard electric plan, which 85 percent of respondents said they want, is required by the state so that consumers are afforded the lowest reasonable rate by Connecticut’s two electric distribution companies, Eversource and United Illuminating.