The leader of the Vermont Senate says he expects lawmakers will try to force the Public Service Board to order refunds to ratepayers for CVPS, which is currently in the midst of a merger.
Senate President Pro Tem John Campbell says the Senate is likely to amend an energy bill to send refunds to ratepayers of Central Vermont Public Service. Those customers paid extra a decade ago to bail CVPS out of financial trouble. Now that the company is seeking to merge with Green Mountain Power, consumer advocates and some lawmakers are looking for refunds.
The Shumlin administration supports an alternate plan to have the companies put $21 million into weatherization and other efficiency measures.
Lawmakers object that the merged company would still get that money back again from ratepayers.