These news briefs are part of The Connecticut Mirror’s 2026 political coverage. For more news about the 2026 legislative session, campaigns, elections and more, sign up here for The Issue, the CT Mirror’s weekly politics newsletter.
Eversource exec says grid is at ‘inflection point’
Eversource’s president of transmission, Bill Quinlan, told an audience at the Yale Innovation Summit Wednesday that New England’s electric grid is at an “inflection point” due to rising demand from heat pumps and electric vehicle chargers.
The region’s total electric use ticked upward each of the last two years, following nearly two decades of declining demand driven by advances in energy efficiency and the surge in rooftop solar panels, according to ISO New England, the grid operator.
Rising demand will place additional strain on the grid, requiring investment in new infrastructure, Quinlan said. It also means that new generators need to come online to supply that power.
“We have a good thing. That, to me, is saying the economy is improving, we’re doing the right thing, we’re electrifying transportation, we’re electrifying heating, we’re moving away from fossil fuels.” Quinlan said. “But we have to figure out how to meet demand.”
— John Moritz, Energy and Environment Reporter
DeLauro challenger seeks redo of nominating convention
Andrew Rice fell six votes short of reaching the threshold to get on the primary ballot alongside U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro. Now he’s seeking a redo of the May 11 nominating convention, alleging the rules weren’t followed.
In a fiery hearing Thursday night, Rice’s attorney argued some delegates would have switched their vote if they were given the 10-minute window that allows for it. New Haven’s Vincent Mauro Jr., who chaired the convention, said it was a mistake the proposed rules weren’t adopted and that no parliamentarian was appointed. A panel will rule on whether or not the results stand.
Rice also has until June 9 to submit a petition for ballot access.
— Lisa Hagen, Federal Policy Reporter
Homeschool bill becomes law
Gov. Ned Lamont signed a controversial bill into law Tuesday that creates some regulations for homeschooling.
House Bill 5468 requires parents to complete a form each year indicating how they will educate their children. If they intend to homeschool, they must withdraw in person. Anyone who is under investigation by the state Department of Children and Families or on the state child abuse and neglect registry isn’t allowed to homeschool — though those already homeschooling are grandfathered in.
The bill was fiercely opposed by many homeschooling families, but supported by the state’s Child Advocate and others after a spate of deaths involving homeschooled children.
— Laura Tillman, Human Services Reporter
Unilever global innovation hub announced in New Haven
New Haven’s growing bioscience and technology sector is getting a cosmetic makeover, courtesy of one of the world’s leading beauty and personal care brands.
During a Thursday event with Gov. Ned Lamont and a variety of state and local leaders, London-based Unilever announced that it is investing $270 million into a new global innovation hub in the city. The hub, the company’s largest R&D infrastructure investment in decades, will focus on research and development, with the company working closely with scientists, product developers, and local academic institutions to “create the next generation of desirable products”, according to a press release.
The research center, which replaces Unilever’s R&D facility in Trumbull, is expected to open in 2029 and will house 300 employees.
— P.R. Lockhart, Economic Development Reporter
Lamont visits New Haven food business incubator
Gov. Ned Lamont made a campaign stop in New Haven on Thursday to visit the building purchased by CitySeed, a food business incubator.
The group, which also runs farmers markets that support local growers and a training program for cooks, purchased a former shirt factory, which it plans to transform into an ambitious home for a commercial kitchen, teaching kitchen and café.
Lamont’s visit came as his administration is working to fight growing food insecurity in Connecticut, where tens of thousands of residents have lost SNAP due to new regulations in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
— Laura Tillman, Human Services Reporter
Bysiewicz marks start of hurricane season
Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz joined other state officials in East Haven Tuesday to mark the start of the Atlantic hurricane season and urge residents to come up with a plan in the event a major storm strikes the northeast. The location was chosen to highlight the devastation wrought by Hurricane Irene on the Cosey Beach section of East Haven in 2011. At the time it struck, Irene had weakened into a tropical storm. The last full hurricane to make landfall in Connecticut was Gloria in 1985.
Still, officials urged residents to sign up for emergency alerts, be aware of local flood areas and make plans in the event an evacuation is ordered. Hurricane season lasts from April to October. National forecasters are predicting a “below normal” season in 2026, with between 18 and 34 named storms.
— John Moritz, Energy and Environment Reporter