OUR POLICY PRIORITIES
- Building support for emergency energy assistance funding
- Protecting medically vulnerable ratepayers from service termination
- Providing incentives for low- and moderate-income customers to access energy efficiency services
- Improving accessibility to state and federally funded weatherization and remediation services
- Expanding access for low- and moderate-income ratepayers to shared solar subscriptions
ADVOCACY BY YEAR
From January 8 through June 4, 2025, the Connecticut General Assembly convened to consider thousands of bills focused on energy, housing, medical, and other affordability challenges in our state. Our policy team (as Operation Fuel) was at the Capitol, every step of the way.
Working closely with our partners, we defended working families from cuts to assistance programs, threats to medical protections, and losing access to favorable payment plans. We advocated for bills that would reduce rate shocks for water customers; and that would help families save money by using less energy through energy efficiency and weatherization services. By sharing our clients’ stories with key legislators, we continue building support that will expand our impacts, for generations to come.
To better support CT families in need, we submitted written testimony requesting an annual funding increase for emergency assistance.
“We ask you to consider the human impact of emergency assistance for low- and moderate-income families struggling to keep their lights on and their homes warm.” April 16, 2025
We testified in favor of investing in a state program that addresses health and safety barriers, helping income-eligible households maintain healthy and safe living conditions.
“The $8 million you allocate today can result in tens of millions in energy, cost, and pollution savings for Connecticut residents.” February 18, 2025
Recognizing how unexpected price shocks can hit consumer budgets, we testified in support of removing PFAs from the water supply by spreading out costs over time.
“Operation Fuel is encouraged to see water companies…ensure that necessary health and legal mandates are met with proper investments, while mitigating the price shocks to customers.” February 4, 2025
On February 14, 2024, after only one week to the start of the 2024 Connecticut legislative session, we secured an additional $1.75 million in additional funding. The unanimous vote from the legislature is a testament to the steadfast reputation and trust that we have grown to help those in emergency crisis. Throughout the session we defended against harmful proposals to medically protected families and advocated for enhancing access to clean energy technologies such as heat pumps.
In the 2023 legislative session, Operation Fuel (now Generation Power) focused on the relationship between energy burden and housing insecurity. We supported legislation that would have required property owners to disclose energy consumption in their homes and rental units when selling or renting. Additionally, we testified in support of provisions in the second “Take Back Our Grid Act,” that strengthened transparency on utility bills in Connecticut.
In the short 2022 session, our legislative agenda focused on advancing structural solutions to energy burden faced by limited-income Connecticut residents. We supported successful legislation to grow the membership of our state’s Low-Income Energy Advisory Board, to add water company, green building, consumer advocacy, and other voting members.
Supporting Connecticut residents through the COVID pandemic, Operation Fuel’s 2021 legislative agenda included protecting consumers from predatory marketing practices, and increased bottle redemption returns from 5 to 10 cents.
I am a stage four cancer patient just hardly surviving on SSDI. Without [GPCT] I wouldn’t be able to heat my home for myself and teenage daughter. We’re so grateful. G.R. – A client from Windsor Locks