Electricity customers in Connecticut are getting some good news and bad news on winter heating costs.
The state Public Utilities Regulatory Authority on Monday approved higher winter rates for Connecticut's two public utilities than summer rates in effect. But because of falling oil and natural gas prices, the winter rates are lower than last year.
From January 1 to June 30, 2016, Eversource's residential rate for generating electrical power will rise to 9.6 cents per kilowatt hours. That's up from 8.2 cents a kilowatt-hour in effect since July 1.
The winter rate is down about 24 percent compared with the January-June 2015 rate.
Residential customers of United Illuminating will pay 10.7 cents per kilowatt hour, up from 9.1 cents. It's down 20 percent from last year's winter rate.