Headquartered in Orange, Connecticut, The United Illuminating Company (UI) handles electricity transmission and distribution for southern areas of Connecticut. That includes electricity in Bridgeport, Stamford and New Haven. There are competitive suppliers available in United Illuminating. Just enter your zip code to shop for an alternative competitive supplier in your area.
UI is a subsidiary of Avangrid (NYSE: AGR) and one of two investor-owned utilities in Connecticut, the other being Eversource. About the United Illuminating Company
The United Illuminating Company delivers electricity to about 341,000 households and businesses in New Haven, Bridgeport and the Shoreline region of Connecticut — or about 17 towns and cities over a 335 square mile area.
If you would like to enroll on the United Illuminating default service rate, contact United Illuminating customer service at 800-722-5584. This page is for information purposes and ElectricityPlans.com is not affiliated with the utility.
United Illuminating Current Residential Rates (Standard Service)
United Illuminating offers a standard service rate for generation to customers who choose to remain with the utility rather than select an alternative generation supplier. The standard service rate changes every six months, on January 1 and July 1.
Below are current generation rates for UI. Compare utility standard service rates versus competitive supplier offers by shopping for electricity in Connecticut.
There are two rates for residential customers: Rate R and Rate RT. Most customers are on Rate R.
- Rate R is a constant rate regardless of the time of day electricity is used.
- Rate RT is a time of use rate with one rate for on peak usage from 12pm – 8pm and one rate for off peak usage from 8pm – 12pm and weekends.
United Illuminating CT’s historic and current standard service generation rates are:
| United Illuminating Rate Class | January 1 - June 30, 2023 Generation Supply Rate ¢/kwh | July 1 - December 31, 2023 Generation Supply Rate ¢/kWh | January 1 - June 30, 2024 Generation Supply Rate ¢/kWh | July 1, - December 31, 2024 Generation Supply Rate ¢/kWh | January 1 - June 30, 2025 Generation Supply Rate ¢/kWh |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rate R | 21.9429¢ | 14.3344¢ | 17.0625¢ | 11.9101¢ | 13.5683¢ |
| Rate RT On-Peak | 24.4362¢ | 16.8674¢ | 19.7257¢ | 14.5419¢ | 16.1418¢ |
| Rate RT Off-Peak | 20.9362¢ | 13.3674¢ | 16.2257¢ | 11.0419¢ | 12.6418¢ |
Because of the rate fluctuations and the unknown, some consumers have decided to shop for an electricity provider and lock in a fixed rate.
Shop for an Alternative Electricity Supplier
When you switch to an alternative electricity supplier, you can lock in a fixed rate for your electricity. This offers security and peace of mind. Ready to shop now for your alternative electricity supplier? All you need is a copy of your bill (for your account information) and your zip code.
Residential Electricity Rates in CT – United Illuminating
| Plan Name | Term | Rate/kWh |
|---|---|---|
| Think Basic 5 | 5 | 9.99 ¢ |
| Constellation 6 Month Home Power Plan | 6 | 10.11 ¢ |
| Think Simple 12 | 12 | 12.50 ¢ |
| Think Simple 36 | 36 | 12.90 ¢ |
| Direct Energy Live Brighter 23 | 23 | 13.59 ¢ |
| Direct Energy Live Brighter 8 | 8 | 13.69 ¢ |
Shop UI Connecticut Electricity Rates Near You
Want to learn more? Read our article on How to Shop for an Electricity Supplier in CT.
FAQs About United Illuminating (UI)
UI CT’s history began in 1881 with several small lighting companies and was formally established as The United Illuminating Company in 1899. In 2000, UI became a subsidiary of UIL Holdings Corporation to hold regulated and related non-regulated businesses. In 2010, UIL and Iderdrola merged and purchased several local gas providers in Connecticut. Today, the UIL/Iderdrola merger is known as Avangrid and is the parent company of UI.
UI serves 17 Connecticut towns covering 335 square miles along Connecticut’s shoreline. The cities that UI serves includes Bridgeport, New Haven, and Milford.
According to PURA, 83% of United Illuminating customers are served by competitive suppliers as of November 2022. With UI’s utility rates increasing 100% in January 2023, experts expect more people will shop for CT electricity.
Utility Highlights
Efficiency and careful stewardship of electricity resources are central to the philosophy of UI. The electricity utility is making huge strides toward sustainability and social responsibility in all areas of their operation, and for all types of Connecticut residential and business customers.
At UI, sustainability at the heart of everything, from electricity generation to community projects and even choices made about upgrades and changes to the electric infrastructure. In addition, UI helps to administer the Energy Efficiency Fund, an Energize Connecticut partner. UI is improving its efficiency by investing in technology and learning better ways of using its existing equipment.
Here are a few ways this Connecticut utility is reaching out to the community to increase sustainability over a wider area and provide excellent customer service:
- Increasing education about distributed generation. UI is encouraging local customers to connect their own forms of electricity generation to reduce their reliance on the grid. By educating customers on the ways that solar, wind, fuel cell and micro turbines can help reduce their power costs and support the power infrastructure at the same time, this utility is making it easier for people to decrease their dependency on the electric grid.
- Electric vehicle infrastructure. Working with both state and local government, UI is streamlining the integration of electric cars into the state of Connecticut. It’s not enough to have electric cars, you also have to have somewhere to charge them—and that’s something UI is building.
- Outage alerts. UI provides extensive outage alert services , including a real-time online outage map, messaging alerts, and online education resources to help customers prepare for storms and other emergencies.
- Reliability. UI invests in grid and infrastructure upgrades to ensure customers across its area receive consistent and safe power. Among recent improvements, they have committed to replacing transformers, underground cables and older components. They’ve also fortified and expanded their network with new substations and transmission lines that meet customers’ energy output and support greener alternatives.
- Storm preparation. Over 10 years ago, Hurricane Irene and Superstorm Sandy disrupted Connecticut’s electrical grid and flooded towns along the Shoreline. To anticipate future incidents, UI has upgraded its bulk electric system and moved its coastal substations inland to minimize damage and reduce outages.
- Rebates and incentives: How can UI customers adopt more energy-efficient practices and see savings? UI’s energy assessments, part of its Home Energy Solutions program, provide a more personalized approach. Additional incentives include ENERGY STAR appliances, lower heating and cooling costs and its Small Business Energy Advantage program, which offers financing and discounts for energy-efficient equipment upgrades.
- EV charging. United Illuminating’s Make-Ready Program fully reimburses area businesses for installing EV charging stations and offers a 50% reimbursement for installing electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE).
Coastal areas of Connecticut served by UI can rest assured that they are receiving great utility service and reliability from a relatively small but experienced utility focused on sustainability.
Customers living in areas of Connecticut served by UI can select an alternative energy supplier and get excellent CT electric rates. United Illuminating will continue to serve customers as the local utility and bill customers in the same manner without interruption in service.
