Kerry Wood

State Representative Kerry Szeps Wood (D - Rocky Hill, Newington, Wethersfield) will host a Facebook live event Thursday, August 27 at 4 p.m. on the recent issues with Eversource and our state’s utilities. Acting State Consumer Counsel Richard E. Sobolewski will be joining Kerry to speak with the residents of Rocky Hill, Newington, and Wethersfield. The Consumer Counsel’s job is to advocate on behalf of Connecticut ratepayers.

The two will be discussing the recent Eversource rate increase, the rate-setting process and how consumers can weigh in with their concerns. Rep. Wood is hoping to give Connecticut’s Consumer Counsel direct exposure to the challenges of 29th district residents so that he can share this perspective in his work taking on our state utilities and their requests for increased rates.

The forum will begin at 4 pm and any member of the public can join in by logging onto Rep. Kerry Szeps Wood’s Facebook page.  Questions can be submitted ahead of time to Rep. Wood at Kerry.wood@cga.ct.gov

Rep. Szeps Wood is also encouraging residents to join her in signing a petition to demand that private-sector public utility companies are held accountable to the public for their rates and for the services that consumers expect and demand. Rep. Wood added, “If you are tired of paying one of the highest electricity rates in the country and going weeks without power after storms then let’s work together to restore common sense and take back our grid.” Wood will be hosting another public dialogue next week in Rocky Hill with Rep. David Arconti, Chair of the Energy and Technology Committee and author of the “Take Back our Grid” act – a reform bill currently being considered by the Connecticut General Assembly.

Event details: Facebook Live Forum – Thursday, August 27 – 4 pm. Log onto the Facebook page of Rep. Kerry Szeps Wood. Questions can be submitted in advance to Rep. Kerry Szeps Wood at Kerry.wood@cga.ct.gov

Biography of Richard Sobolewski, CT Consumer Counsel:

Richard E. Sobolewski, Supervisor of Utility Financial Analysis, Connecticut Office of Consumer Counsel – Rich Sobolewski joined the Office of Consumer Counsel (OCC) of the State of Connecticut in 1986.  He has served in a number of accounting, financial and analytical positions within the OCC, serving as Supervisor of Utility Financial Analysis since 2002 - and as Acting Consumer Counsel since July of 2019. Sobolewski oversees OCC’s technical staff and outside consultants.  Sobolewski has participated in over 200 utility rate proceedings involving Connecticut’s water, electric, natural gas and telecommunications companies.  Under his leadership, the Office of Consumer Counsel has entered into a number of negotiated rate settlements with Connecticut’s utility companies. Sobolewski has lead the OCC’s efforts on many issues including decoupling, utility mergers and acquisitions, performance based ratemaking plans, utility company land sales and a uniform rate of return methodology.  He is a member of the American Water Works Association and has been an active participant in the National Association of State Utility Consumer Advocates’ gas, water and tax and accounting committees.  Sobolewski is a graduate of Central Connecticut State University.