Some Greenwich homeowners finishing renovations are getting hit with surprise utility bills of $10,000 to $30,000. The town is calling in Eversource, Connecticut Natural Gas (CNG) and Aquarion Water Company to explain why.
The three utilities will face residents at a forum Tuesday, Sept. 1, at 6 p.m. in the Town Hall Meeting Room.
First Selectman Fred Camillo announced the forum at a recent Board of Selectmen meeting, Greenwich Free Press reported. He said homeowners who completed total renovations were told by the gas company they could not get the service they expected because their houses are now much larger.
"I didn't want people to be caught unaware of this after the fact, because when you build a budget and you're told after the fact that you got to do a, b and c and it's going to cost you another $10,000, $20,000 or $30,000, that hurts," he said.
Camillo said CNG told him the capacity problem affects towns "all over" Connecticut, but no other municipality has organized a forum like this one.
How the problem surfaced
Camillo first raised the issue publicly at the July 9 Board of Selectmen meeting, saying neighbors who tore down small homes and rebuilt were informed by CNG that capacity was insufficient. He then met with CNG, which confirmed the statewide shortage.
On July 23, the town issued a civic alert calling on the state to impose an immediate moratorium on zoning mandates for all municipalities. Camillo said in the alert that state housing mandates had strained infrastructure beyond the town's ability to keep pace.
A bipartisan press conference at Town Hall on July 27 drew State Rep. Hector Arzeno (D-151), State Rep. Steve Meskers (D-150), State Rep. Tina Courpas (R-149) and State Sen. Ryan Fazio (R-36), along with officials from neighboring towns.
CNG spokesperson Angela Baccaro said in a written statement to Patch on July 27 that CNG identified large new service requests in Greenwich that could affect long-term reliability for existing customers without additional infrastructure investment. She said CNG has begun planning reinforcement projects in collaboration with the town.
What's changed since July
State Reps. Arzeno and Meskers noted in an Aug. 14 newsletter that recent engineering reviews confirmed some large new service requests could affect reliability for existing customers. They said CNG plans to implement system improvements in phases, and that existing customers with signed service agreements will be honored. New requests undergo a comprehensive engineering evaluation.
The capacity issue is tied to broader state housing policy. House Bill 8002, passed during a November 2025 special session, and the existing 8-30g affordable housing statute are at the center of the moratorium call by Camillo and other local officials.
No Eversource or Aquarion statements specific to the Sept. 1 forum have been made public.
What residents should do
The forum's stated purpose is to explain why service limitations occur after renovations or new construction and to remind homeowners to contact utility companies before starting a project. Camillo said residents can still get gas service, but costs may be higher depending on the project's scope.
Follow-up coverage of the Sept. 1 discussion is planned.
