Company: CNLHP
Filing Date: 2025-02-14
Form Type: 10-K
Source: 0000072741-25-000007
Chunk: 36

Company: CONNECTICUT LIGHT & POWER CO
Filing Date: 2025-02-14
Form: 10-K
Item: Item 1A
Chunk 36
---
 of business decisions could negatively impact our business, financial position, results of operations, and cash flows.

We are exposed to significant reputational risks, which make us vulnerable to increased regulatory oversight or other sanctions.

Because utility companies, including our electric, natural gas and water utility subsidiaries, have large customer bases, they are subject to adverse publicity focused on the safety and reliability of their distribution services and the speed with which they are able to respond to electric outages, natural gas leaks and similar interruptions caused by storm damage or other unanticipated events, including those related to climate change. 

17

Adverse publicity of this nature could harm our reputation and the reputation of our subsidiaries; may make state legislatures, utility commissions and other regulatory authorities less likely to view us in a favorable light; and may cause us to be subject to less favorable legislative and regulatory outcomes, legal claims or increased regulatory oversight. Unfavorable regulatory outcomes can include more stringent laws and regulations governing our operations, such as reliability and customer service quality standards or vegetation management requirements, as well as fines, penalties or other sanctions or requirements. Further, we rely upon purchased power and purchased natural gas supply from third parties to meet customers’ energy requirements. Due to a variety of factors, including the inflationary economic environment, geo-political conflicts, increased customer energy demand, the cost of energy supply, and public benefit charges assessed by our regulators, customer bills in New England remain high. We also may be required to implement rolling blackouts by ISO-NE, the region’s independent grid operator if enough capacity is not available in the area to meet peak demand needs. Significant cost increases, as well as any failure to meet customer energy requirements, could negatively impact the satisfaction of our customers and our customers’ ability to pay their utility bills, which could have an adverse impact on our business, reputation, financial position, results of operations, and cash flows.

Addressing any adverse publicity, regulatory scrutiny or enforcement or other legal proceedings is time consuming and expensive and, regardless of the factual basis for the assertions being made, can have a negative impact on the reputation of our business, on the morale and performance of our employees and on our relationships with respective regulators, customers and counterparties. We are unable to predict future legislative or regulatory changes, initiatives or interpretations or other legal proceedings, and there can be no assurance that we will be able to respond adequately to such actions. The direct and indirect effects of negative publicity, and the demands of responding to and addressing it, may have a material adverse effect on our financial