AARP Vermont Speaks Out Against Another Cost Increase for the Vermont Gas Pipeline Project

June 21, 2016

“AARP Vermont is not surprised to hear that another cost increase – nearly $12 million -- has been announced by Vermont Gas Systems and that ratepayers are once again going to take a direct hit for a portion of it. This is a project that company officials have repeatedly assured the public will come in “on time and on budget.” Clearly this is not the case.  Costs continue to pile up and the company now expects customers to pay for right of way access delays and protests. On behalf of our members and all ratepayers, AARP Vermont calls on our regulators at the Department of Public Service to give close scrutiny to this proposal and step up to protect Vermont ratepayers from paying even more for a project that is clearly being mismanaged.

“AARP Vermont feels strongly that the 50,000 customers in Chittenden and Franklin Counties should not be paying for a pipeline to serve only 3000 potential customers in Addison County. The system expansion will only benefit the company’s bottom line – not the ratepayers who are bearing the ever-rising cost.”

--Greg Marchildon, AARP Vermont State Director