The requests to increase distribution rates – which would raise revenue by 5 percent for Connecticut Natural Gas and 9 percent for Southern Connecticut Gas – come at a tense time between utilities and the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority tasked with overseeing them. Customers have bristled at high costs, lawmakers and PURA have pushed for more accountability from utilities, and the companies have warned that the state’s new direction will make it harder for them to attract outside investments. CNG, which serves about 185,000 customers in 25 municipalities in central Connecticut and Greenwich, will ask to raise rates to increase its revenue by about $21 million – a 10 percent increase to delivery revenues and 5 percent increase in overall revenue, the company said. SCG, which serves about 208,000 customers in 24 municipalities, is asking to raise rates to increase its revenue by $42 million – a 20 percent increase to its delivery revenues, and 9 percent increase to its overall revenues.
