Marissa Gillett, the state’s top utility regulator whose combative approach drew both praise from Gov. Ned Lamont and criticism from Connecticut’s largest energy companies, will step down next month.
Lamont said Friday that Gillett, who has led the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority since 2019, notified him she will resign effective Oct. 10. She previously worked for the Maryland Public Service Commission and an energy trade group before coming to Connecticut.
Gillett’s resignation comes just months after she was reappointed to another four-year term despite sharp opposition from Republicans and pushback from utility executives. Companies including Eversource and Avangrid accused her of overstepping her authority and undermining their financial stability, while Republican leaders faulted her over transparency issues, including deleted text messages that surfaced in a pending lawsuit.
Several utilities have filed lawsuits against PURA under Gillett’s leadership, including a high-profile case brought by two Avangrid-owned gas companies that challenged her communications with state lawmakers. That case remains ongoing in state court.
Lamont has repeatedly defended Gillett, saying she brought technical expertise and independence to a job that often put her at odds with the industry she oversaw. “The utilities sometimes think she’s a little strong-willed, I understand that,” the governor said earlier this year.
During her tenure, PURA ordered rate reductions or limits on increases for multiple utilities and created the Office of Education, Outreach, and Enforcement, which has been cited nationally as a model for public engagement. Supporters said her aggressive stance held utilities accountable and put ratepayers first at a time when Connecticut’s energy costs remain among the highest in the nation.
In a statement Friday, Gillett said she was proud of PURA’s work to provide “rigorous but fair scrutiny” of utility requests. “I am deeply grateful for the opportunities and the people I’ve met through my work at PURA,” she said.
Lamont has not yet named a successor.
Some background reporting was contributed by The Connecticut Mirror.
