State Council's 'Straw Vote' On Important Fairfield Issue Goes In Town's Favor

FAIRFIELD, CT — In a non-binding "straw vote" on Thursday, the Connecticut Siting Council voted to deny the application by United Illuminating to construct tall monopoles that would carry high-voltage power lines through parts of Fairfield and Bridgeport, Fairfield First Selectman Bill Gerber announced.

The vote tally was four against the proposal, two in favor of it, and one abstention, which could be a harbinger of what an official vote might be.

"Today, in a meeting on remand from the Superior Court, CSC Vice Chair John Morrissette called for a straw vote of Siting Council members to reconsider UI’s original proposal to install overhead monopoles to the south of the Metro North train tracks," Gerber wrote in a statement. "The straw vote resulted in four votes to deny the application, two votes to approve, and one abstention. Although the straw vote was technically non-binding, as a result of the straw vote, Morrisette instructed Siting Council staff to draft a formal opinion and decision denying UI’s application. There will be a formal vote on that decision at a future Siting Council meeting."

Read More:

• Huge Price Tag For Underground Transmission Line Project In Fairfield & Bridgeport: UI
• Fairfield, Bridgeport And State & Local Legislators Urge Dismissal Of UI Monopole Application
• Court Overturns Controversial Decision; Ruling Is A Victory For Fairfield And Bridgeport
• UI Responds To Mounting Opposition In Fairfield To Monopole Proposal

Gerber was pleased by Thursday's outcome and thanked the council, which was meeting following a remand order by Superior Court Judge Matthew Budzik to revisit the application.

"We are gratified that the Siting Council listened to the concerns of Fairfield residents, business owners, civic organizations, community leaders and State legislators," Gerber wrote. "We believe that, in this day and age, any utility company like United Illuminating must plan for the long term to develop technology and expertise to bury

transmission lines underground in an efficient and cost-effective way. 'Undergrounding' will improve storm resiliency of the electric grid, increasing the conservation of land and improving economic sustainability. UI’s public statements to date regarding their astronomical cost estimates for undergrounding highlights that they have a long way to go in this regard and there is a massive undergrounding capabilities gap between them and other utilities in other states and countries where burying transmission lines is the norm."

In a statement to Patch, UI spokesperson Sarah Wall Fliotsos is reviewing the council's straw vote.

"UI is reviewing [Thursday's] Connecticut Siting Council meeting and their non-binding straw poll vote," Wall Fliotsos said. "We look forward to working with the Council to advance the reliability, resiliency, and affordability of the transmission system from Fairfield to Bridgeport."

UI originally sought to build the project between the Post Road and Metro-North train tracks, the south side of Metro-North, but then received approval from the council to build it north of the tracks, but without input from residents, businesses and officials from Fairfield.

Budzik ruled that the council "'exceeded its statutory authority and violated principles of fundamental fairness' and remanded the matter back to the CSC 'for proceedings consistent with [the Court’s] memorandum of decision,'" Gerber wrote.

From Gerber's announcement:

Prior to today’s meeting, on June 6, 2025, attorneys for the Town of Fairfield, City of Bridgeport and intervenors BJ’s Wholesale Club, Inc; the Southport Congregational Church; and the Sasco Creek Neighbors Environmental Trust filed a public letter with Melanie Bachman, Esq., executive director of the CSC, urging the following: First, that the Council should dismiss UI’s application, consistent with Judge Budzik’s decision; second, that the procedural requirements of Public Act No. 24-144 apply on remand. The Act, signed into law on June 6, 2024 and effective as of October 1, 2024, imposes several new procedural requirements on the proceedings before a new certificate may be issued. Third, the attorneys insist that an underground alternative must be “meaningfully considered.”

On June 10, 2025, the legislative delegations for Fairfield and Bridgeport filed a letter with the Siting Council endorsing the position of Fairfield, Bridgeport, and the intervenors. That letter was signed by State Representatives Jennifer Leeper, Cristin McCarthy Vahey, Sarah Keitt, Steve Stafstrom, Fred Gee, Marcus Brown, Christopher Rosario, and Antonio Felipe, and State Senators Tony Hwang, Sujata Gadkar-Wilcox, and Herron Gaston.

The Town of Fairfield remains steadfast in its commitment to fight for the protection of all of its residents, businesses and places of worship, and is determined to continue to advocate for UI burying the transmission lines, rather than building overhead lines that will destroy the precious resources of the Town.