Connecticut residents use 19% less gas today than we did in 2014, but our gas bills have increased by about 7% every year since 2021. Why do our bills continue to rise when our consumption is declining? The Future of Heat Initiative has released a Connecticut Gas Affordability Primer that argues the answer is simple: Pipelines. Let’s explore why.

 

Utilities profit from pipeline expansion

Our gas bills are split into supply and delivery charges. Utility companies are not allowed to profit from supply charges. They must sell gas to customers at the same price they paid suppliers. Instead, gas utilities profit from investing in gas infrastructure. Connecticut gas utilities are allowed to earn a 7.03% to 7.56% return on infrastructure investments, including replacing, expanding, and constructing pipelines. Utilities have a financial incentive to build more pipelines because it allows them to earn more money.

 

We pay more for pipelines than for gas itself

How does this impact our bills? Gas utilities earn their returns through delivery charges. The Future of Heat Initiative found that 25% of delivery charges cover gas utility profits and financing costs, and an additional 18% covers pipeline construction costs. Delivery charges now account for 69% of the average gas bill, so we are paying more for pipelines than for gas itself. Gas utilities continue to build pipelines, prioritizing profits and driving up charges. 

 

Join us to oppose gas expansions across the state

Together, we can hold gas utilities accountable for the infrastructure that is harming our environment, our communities, and our wallets. The No Pipeline Expansion (NOPE) Northeast coalition has organized many powerful actions over the past few months. We have more planned, and we would love your support. If you’d like to get involved, join the coalition!

 

 

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Image: A workshop hosted by NOPE Northeast coalition at Wesleyan University

 

December 2025: The NOPE Northeast coalition hosted a workshop on December 6 at Wesleyan University. The workshop included presentations from each state on ongoing expansions, as well as strategy sessions to determine the coalition's focus for 2026. About 60 people from across the region attended, and a student at Wesleyan put together this film of the workshop. 

 

January 2026: At the beginning of January, community members from Brookfield, along with members of NOPE from across Connecticut and the Northeast, testified against the expansion of the Brookfield Compressor Station. Community members and advocates called for the permit to be rejected, and for the community to be granted an adjudicatory hearing, which would allow the community to ask questions of the company. 

 

At the end of January, NOPE and our partners participated in the comment period for the Constitution pipeline. NOPE and many other organizations filed as intervenors, and many individuals submitted comments. The Constitution Pipeline is a major pipeline proposed for New York, and connects to Connecticut’s gas infrastructure. This pipeline was previously defeated, but has been revived under the Trump Administration. 

 

Ella Foster is a Master's Student at Yale School of the Environment and volunteer with the No Pipeline Expansion Northeast Coalition.