AG William Tong to CT’s Utility Providers: ‘Give me a Break’ – I-95 Exclusive

On Sunday, March 27th, I was scrolling through TikTok when I came across a video featuring Connecticut Attorney General William Tong. By the time the video ended, I was ready to run through a brick wall.

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I've seen slick NFL hype videos that didn't get me as pumped as this one did. The AG was pushing back against United Illuminating for throwing a tantrum after they didn’t get their way. And what does "their way" mean? It always means the same thing: more of our money.

I’m not a UI customer—I have Eversource—but we're really talking about the same issues. These utility companies all use the same playbook, one designed to separate us from our hard-earned money and funnel it into their already overstuffed corporate wallets.

@agwilliamtongUnited Illuminating had another op-ed attacking me this weekend and calling me “disgraceful” for fighting for lower rates. You know what’s disgraceful—the completely unaffordable bills Connecticut families are being forced to pay. You know what’s disgraceful— the never-ending temper tantrum from entitled corporate executives who can’t handle that they aren’t getting everything they want.♬ original sound - agwilliamtong

We played the audio from that short TikTok on the I-95 Morning Show, cheered on the AG for his "stones," and then we took it a step further by reaching out to his office.

Tong graciously agreed to join us for a live segment on Tuesday, April 1, 2025, and here’s some of that discussion.

What Does CT Attorney General William Tong Have to Say About United Illuminating?

Lou: So I see you on TikTok the other day, you did this amazing video telling United Illuminating, look I'm not backing down. I'm doubling-down on my stance that what you're doing is wrong. Can you update folks on what you were talking about and what United Illuminating is wanting to do?

William Tong: "Yeah, people are getting crushed right now by utility rates. UI covers parts of Fairfield County and New Haven County, so not directly in Danbury, but it affects all of us, right? These rates go up, and we're getting crushed. They wanted $130 million more from ratepayers, and I said no way. We went to the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA), which is like the court for rate increases, and I opposed them—and we beat them. They got $6 million instead of $130 million. On top of that, they're supposed to deal with this eyesore of an abandoned power plant in New Haven. You've driven by it a million times. They're supposed to deal with it, probably tear it down, but they totally refuse to do that. So the court has said, basically, not only do you not get your $130 million, but you also have to take this power plant down. And if you don't do it, you’ll have to pay a $2 million fine until you do. They threw a gigantic hissy fit."

Lou: Yeah, I got excited. As you mentioned, UI doesn't cover our area, but we have Eversource, and it's kind of the same game. They're always trying to dig into our pockets, and you know, the crowd has spoken. Folks are tired of this in the state of Connecticut.

William Tong: "Read the room. They want more money—has our service improved? Are they more responsive? Have they been better during storms? We don't see the improvements, and they haven't justified their demands for hundreds of millions of dollars more. Give me a break."

You can listen to the complete interview below. We also talked about reckless driving and price gouging with Connecticut groceries. 

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