Early July’s heat wave wasn’t just uncomfortable, it was dangerous.
Across Connecticut, temperatures climbed into the triple digits, with heat indices soaring well above 100°F. Days like this have real public health consequences, especially for older adults, young children, people with chronic illness, outdoor workers, and anyone without reliable access to air conditioning. As we’ve seen during recent heat waves around the world, extreme heat is increasingly becoming one of the deadliest weather events.
As communities came together by opening cooling centers, checking on neighbors, keeping people hydrated, and utility workers working tirelessly to maintain and restore power, there was another group of unsung heroes quietly helping keep our communities safe: the thousands of Connecticut homeowners, businesses, schools, farms, municipalities, and nonprofits with rooftop solar.
The ISO New England data from this heat wave was remarkable. During the hottest hours of the day, behind-the-meter solar—electricity generated and used locally from rooftop solar systems across all six New England states—was producing approximately 3,594 megawatts (MW). That’s electricity that never had to travel across the electric grid during one of the highest-demand periods.
To put that in perspective, behind-the-meter solar was generating more electricity than the output of both New England’s largest power plants, the Millstone Nuclear Power Station, which produces approximately 2,000 MW, and Seabrook Nuclear Station, at roughly 1,250 MW.
During the most dangerous hours of the heat wave, when air conditioners were working overtime and lives depended on reliable electricity, thousands of homes and businesses with rooftop solar were quietly doing their part. Their local generation reduced stress on the electric grid— likely preventing reliability challenges— and protected some of our most vulnerable neighbors. Many of these households also participate in demand response programs or use smart thermostats that automatically reduce electricity use during periods of peak demand, adding yet another layer of resilience.
Together, these distributed energy resources keep our communities safe when the grid is under its greatest stress. This is an important reminder that Connecticut’s energy future cannot be an either/or conversation.
During the 2026 session, we passed legislation placing a one-year moratorium on new utility-scale solar development in East Windsor while we work through important questions surrounding solar siting, farmland preservation, and local planning. At the same time, we protected and extended behind-the-meter solar programs that allow homeowners, businesses, municipalities, schools, and nonprofits to generate clean electricity exactly where it is needed— policies that had no ratepayer impact according to the nonpartisan team that analyzed the legislation, the Office of Fiscal Analysis. Extreme heat demonstrated why those programs matter.
Earlier this year, the announcement that NextEra Energy intends to acquire Dominion Energy raised important questions about the future of our regional electric system. As someone who probably spends more time watching ISO New England generation data than I should, I couldn’t help but think about how important it is to maintain a diverse, reliable energy portfolio. Distributed generation, dependable dispatchable resources, battery storage, modern transmission planning, consumer protections, and careful oversight of major utility infrastructure all have important roles to play.
Connecticut still has important work ahead. We must continue balancing affordability, reliability, adequate generation to meet our needs, environmental stewardship, farmland preservation, local decision-making, and public health. These aren’t competing priorities —they’re all part of building an energy system that is prepared for the future.
Rep. Jaime Foster of Ellington, D-57th District, is a member of the Connecticut General Assembly’s Energy and Technology Committee.