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July 25, 2024

CT PURA shakeup: Lamont names David Arconti; Betkoski to retire

CT GENERAL ASSEMBLY Former Rep. David Arconti
By Mark Pazniokas, CT Mirror

Gov. Ned Lamont made a long-awaited move Thursday to shake up the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority by nudging its longest-serving member, John W. Betkoski III, to retirement in favor of former state Rep. David A. Arconti, Jr., of Danbury, a legislative regulatory reformer who now oversees governmental affairs for a regulated utility.

All three members of PURA are currently serving on expired terms, and Lamont had only committed publicly to retaining Marissa P. Gillett, who has infuriated the state’s utilities with an aggressive approach to rate-setting that Eversource and Avangrid have called unsustainable.

Betkoski, who had indicated a desire to remain, will retire, most likely in January, the governor’s office said. Arconti will begin at PURA on Aug. 5, giving the full-time regulatory board four members for several months. Under state law, PURA can have as many as five members.

Betkoski is a former Democratic lawmaker who has been a member of PURA or its predecessor for 27 years. Arconti, also a Democrat, left the General Assembly as its co-chair of the Energy and Technology Committee after not seeking reelection to a sixth term in 2022.

“I’ve known David Arconti for several years, and during this time he’s been deeply interested in energy policy, particularly when it comes to matters concerning the promotion of clean energy and the enactment of policies that will reduce energy costs for consumers,” Lamont said in a statement.

As a lawmaker, Arconti backed Gillett and endorsed the continuing shift during her tenure to performance-based regulation and rate-setting. He joined Avangrid, the owner of United Illuminating, Connecticut Natural Gas and Southern Connecticut Gas, as its vice president of governmental affairs 11 months ago.

Arconti could not be reached Thursday to discuss the steps for moving away from being an employee of a regulated utility to becoming a regulator. Presumably, he will recuse himself from matters involving Avangrid during a transition period when Betkoski will remain on the authority.

John Erlingheuser, who lobbies on consumer issues for AARP, said Arconti was considered a strongly pro-consumer lawmaker when he was the key House member on energy and regulatory issues.

“I’m hopeful he’ll continue his pro-consumer stance as a commissioner,” he said.

Rep. Jonathan Steinberg, D-Westport, who succeeded Arconti as the House energy co-chair and has been a backer of Gillett’s aggressive regulatory approach, praised the selection of Arconti and was unconcerned by his recent post with Avangrid.

“I think it’s very rare to have someone who has experience with both sides of the fence,” Steinberg said.

Eversource and Avangrid, multi-state utilities that provide electricity and natural gas in Connecticut, have bitterly complained of what they deem to be a hostile regulatory environment under Gillett, saying they cannot invest in modernization without the assurances of a reasonable return.

Lamont has sided with Gillett, pledging in May to appoint her to a new term — a promise he made the same day Eversource told analysts it would cut spending on capital projects by $500 million, a barely veiled shot at Gillett. He has not acted on that pledge.

The governor also had chided Gillett, whose relationship with Betkoski and the third authority member, Michael A. Caron, a former Republican lawmaker, had been strained. PURA also has experienced significant employee turnover in recent years.

“It has been an honor and a privilege for me to have served the State of Connecticut for almost 38 years,” Betkoski said, referring to his tenure as a regulator and lawmaker. “I have been blessed to work with so many great people over the years, including four governors.”

He called Arconti “a fine addition to the authority. I have always found him to be genuine, eager, and knowledgeable about the issues we deal with here at PURA and look forward to working with David, Chair Gillett, and Commissioner Caron.”

With Betkoski eventually leaving, Lamont is expected to retain Caron. Unclear, however, was whether he would nominate Caron to another term and provide an element of job security or leave him on PURA on an expired term.

Arconti will serve as an interim appointee until the governor formally nominates him when the General Assembly convenes in January. His appointment to a full term is subject to confirmation by legislators.

“I am eager to collaborate with Chair Gillett, Vice Chairman Betkoski, Commissioner Caron, and all the dedicated staff at PURA. Together, we’ll make a real difference for our state,” Arconti said in a prepared statement.

The governor’s office had no immediate comment on whether Gillett, a regulatory lawyer from Maryland named by Lamont to bring a fresh perspective to PURA five years ago, will be formally nominated in January.

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