The legislative session that began this week already has its first energy-related bill.
Senate Bill 4 would require more transparency from the state’s municipally-owned electric utilities.
The bill comes after The Day reported (registration may be required) in October that various public and municipal electric utility officials and family members had attended a $342,000, four-day retreat at the Kentucky Derby last May. The retreat was hosted by the Connecticut Municipal Electric Energy Cooperative (CMEEC), which owns generation assets and sells power to member utilities, mostly located in eastern Connecticut.
The Day reported last month that CMEEC’s board had tightened its rules on workshops and meetings.
The new proposed legislation, led by Sen. Cathy Osten (D-Sprague), would require municipal utilities and cooperatives to post annual financial reports and meeting information on their respective websites, hold board meetings only in Connecticut, and keep and publish meeting minutes from strategic retreats.
The bill was sent to the Joint Committee on Energy & Technology on Jan. 4.
