How CT Customers Gets Their Energy
CT and other New England states have long dealt with electricity supply problems. Because of these problems, energy customers have had some of the highest electricity bills in the country. In a recent move to find the best electric rates, CT is moving away from natural gas fueled electricity. So as CT moves forward, where will our electricity come from?
CT Electricity Statistics
As of 2022, over half of CT’s electricity came from natural gas generators. In fact, natural gas fuels seven of the state’s ten largest power plants. Also, nuclear power provides about 37% of the state’s energy. This includes the Millstone nuclear power station in Waterford. The rest of CT’s power comes from green energy including solar, hydro, wind, and biomass plants.
Why CT Electricity Is So High
It’s not secret that CT need for natural gas is a huge part of high energy costs. CT has to bring natural gas into the state through only a few interstate gas lines. Pipeline problems and outages can send CT electricity prices skyrocketing.
On top of these importing costs, natural gas prices are very susceptible to the volatile energy market. For example, electricity rates tend to rise during the winter because of the high demand for heat. For this reason, CT utilities point to state policy for causing recent utility delivery rate hikes.
Electricity From Other Sources
Obviously, things have to change if we want better prices. That’s why CT has been pushing for solar energy generation. However, weather in New England’s latitudes can seriously cut how effective solar panels can be.
That’s why many are considering how to use battery energy storage to support the grid. Excess solar energy charges these batteries. Then battery owners can tap these units for power when the sun isn’t shining. For most homes, this means more reliable energy at much cheaper rates. Another break through technology, thermal energy storage, could complement battery storage.
The state could also adopt more offshore wind projects. These wind farms could reduce bills by close to $5 a month and save New England families $630 million per year. Best of all, excess energy could charge battery energy storage units to provide reliable electricity round the clock.
The Future Of CT Electricity
It’s hard to predict how CT energy will change in the next ten to twenty years. But one thing is certain: CT has to overcome its natural gas dependency. In the future, CT energy may rely more on nuclear power or green energy sources to push down prices. But for the here and now, consumers best bet is to shop for the best CT energy rates.
Shopping rates can be hard. But, you can always trust https://www.ctenergyratings.com for all the news that could affect your bills. We’re also the best place to go to shop for the cheapest energy plans in town.