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February 25, 2022

Lamont calls on lawmakers to adopt 2040 zero-carbon goal for state’s electric grid

YEHYUN KIM / CTMIRROR.ORG Gov. Ned Lamont delivering the 2022 state of the state address in the state Capitol in Hartford.
By Zachary Vasile

Gov. Ned Lamont is pushing the state legislature to take up and formally codify his goal of a zero-carbon electric grid in Connecticut by 2040.

In a statement released Thursday, Lamont said the General Assembly’s action is needed to provide state policymakers and the electricity sector a “shared goal of fully transitioning the state away from relying on natural gas and oil.”

Lamont first announced the 2040 goal in 2019. A bill now under consideration in the Senate, SB 10, would write that timeline into state statutes.

“We’ve already made great progress in decarbonizing our grid, but we need to make sure we get the rest of the way there,” Lamont said. “Codifying the 2040 zero-carbon electric grid target will provide critical direction to the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority, the electric utilities, the municipal utilities, and others in planning and implementing energy policy.”

The governor noted that neighboring states have set similar goals, including Rhode Island, which aims to reach zero-carbon status by 2030, and New York, which has adopted a 2040 deadline.

“Let’s get this done for the sake of doing our part to mitigate climate change, improve our air, and support clean energy jobs across Connecticut,” he said.

According to state officials, ratepayers are already supporting zero-carbon resources equivalent to nearly 74% of the electricity consumed by customers of the state’s two electric distribution companies. That figure is expected to rise to 92% by 2025, as new offshore wind and grid-scale solar projects come online.

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