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State House, Providence, RI – Rhode Island House Minority Leader Michael Chippendale and members of the Rhode Island House Minority Caucus held a media briefing to discuss bipartisan legislative efforts to create energy reform and cost savings for Rhode Island ratepayers.
Leader Chippendale’s remarks:
The House Minority Caucus has submitted a suite of bills this legislative session to address the rapidly increasing cost of energy in our state - costs that are being driven largely by the misguided Act on Climate of 2021. First - let me be very clear: Republicans are not “climate deniers.” That term is a political slur - crafted by the radical left to shame anyone who questions whether the current policy approach to renewable energy is sound, practical, or affordable. We acknowledge that climate change is occurring. Where we differ is in what we believe is causing it, and - more importantly - what solutions are realistic without bankrupting the people of Rhode Island. Let’s be real. The emissions goals set in the Act on Climate have been called “the most aggressive in the country” - and they are. But Rhode Island occupies a tiny fraction of the planet’s surface. Even under the most widely accepted climate models, Rhode Island’s contribution to global carbon emissions is so miniscule that achieving net-zero would have no measurable impact on global temperatures. Sadly, this means that much of our state’s “Green Agenda” amounts to little more than virtue-signaling, while simultaneously lowering the standard of living for Rhode Islanders. Let’s look at the numbers:
That’s a 68% increase in just ten years. Now compare that to the national average, which increased from 12.65 cents to 16.51 cents in the roughly same timeframe - a 31% rise. Rhode Island’s rate hikes are more than double the national pace. This isn’t abstract. These are real costs being felt by real people - especially our low-income residents, our seniors living on fixed incomes, and the small businesses trying to keep their doors open in a post-pandemic economy. Every member of the House has heard these complaints. Many talk publicly about the crisis of rising energy costs. But some of those same lawmakers are passing the very mandates and subsidies that are causing those prices to soar. They’ve even organized protests of the Public Utilities Commission - the PUC - blaming them for rate hikes the PUC is legally obligated to pass through under current law. Let’s clarify the role of the PUC. The Rhode Island Public Utilities Commission can review, modify, or reject utility rate increases related to delivery charges, capital investments, and state-mandated program fees - like the energy efficiency and renewable energy programs. It can protect ratepayers in those areas. But when it comes to supply costs - what the utility pays to buy electricity or gas from suppliers - the PUC’s hands are tied. If the utility proves that those costs reflect actual market prices with no markup, state law requires the PUC to approve them. That means your rates go up because of market volatility and legislative mandates, not because of some malicious decision by the utility or the Commission. Speaking of scapegoats - let’s talk about the energy company. Far too often, the utility is painted as the villain. But many of these cost increases stem from legislative mandates - laws passed by the General Assembly that force utilities to buy expensive energy or fund inefficient programs. And the same lawmakers who pass these mandates are the ones publicly attacking the utility for doing what the law compels them to do. While the nationwide profit margin for these types of utility companies averages approximately 9.3%, the Rhode Island’s utility company has a 4.03% profit margin. “Greed and profits” – as the advocates defending the Act on Climate constantly point to, are clearly not the drivers here. Worse still, those mandates often prevent the utility from making much-needed investments in our natural gas infrastructure. Natural gas is one of the cleanest, most efficient, and affordable sources of electricity generation available. States with sound energy policy have used it successfully to reduce emissions while keeping costs down. But here in Rhode Island, ideological opposition to gas has stalled repairs, blocked upgrades, and driven up costs - a fact recently highlighted by the Providence Journal. That’s why the House Minority Caucus has introduced several bills rooted in reality and focused on relief:
Let me be clear: These bills won’t solve the crisis overnight. But they represent practical, achievable steps toward bringing relief to the people of Rhode Island. We already face some of the highest electricity rates, highest costs of living, and highest tax burdens in the nation. What we need now is not more ideology - but common sense and accountability. The people of Rhode Island are asking for relief. Let’s finally deliver it. Thank you. -30-
The 2025 Rhode Island House Minority (Republican) Caucus is comprised of the following elected members: Minority Leader Michael W. Chippendale, District 40 (Foster/Glocester/Coventry); Minority Whip David J. Place, District 47 (Burrillville/Glocester); Representative George Nardone, District 28 (Coventry); Representative Brian Newberry, District 48 (North Smithfield/Burrillville); Representative Robert Quattrocchi, District 41 (Scituate/Cranston); Representative Sherry Roberts, District 29 (Coventry/West Greenwich); Representative Richard Fascia, District 42 (Johnston/Cranston); Representative Marie Hopkins, District 21 (Warwick); Representative Chris Paplauskas, District 15 (Cranston); Representative Paul Santucci, District 53 (Smithfield/Glocester).
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