Connecticut Gov. Dan Malloy’s administration is preparing to eliminate a consumer call-in center that handles thousands of customers' questions and complaints each month about utility companies, as part of Malloy’s merger of the state's environmental protection and public utilities regulation agencies.

The legislature recently approved Malloy’s plan for the utilities-regulatory agency to be absorbed into the new Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP), according to a recent news report from The Hartford Courant.

The report says 14 members of the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority's consumer services unit received layoff notices last week as part of an overall layoff of 21 at the agency formerly known as the Department of Public Utility Control.

Since the layoff is merger related, it does not depend on whether a money-saving concessions agreement between state employee unions and the administration will be approved on a re-vote in coming weeks, the report said.

The layoff, effective September 1, will have a direct impact on the customers depending on this call center unit. According to one of the members facing layoff, the call center provides an important service to companies supplying electricity, natural gas, water and telecommunications.

The call center unit provides information and assistance to consumers facing problems ranging from billing issues and choices of electricity providers to serious issues like service cutoffs that may have serious impact on some of the customers, especially those depending on lifesaving machines operated by electricity.

During 2010, the unit addressed about 45,000 consumer telephone calls.

The layoff notice given to the employees reads, “This action has become necessary due to a lack of work stemming from the State's decision to no longer provide services in the Consumer Services Unit.”

However, the report further says the concerns raised by the employees facing layoff may have led to some second thoughts. The report has added that one of the authorities at the agency has responded positively to their concern and said some of the layoffs might be rescinded.

The report quoted Dennis Schain, an agency spokesman, as saying, "The decision to eliminate this program was made at DEEP as we looked for ways to achieve efficiencies and use resources in the most effective manner with the establishment of this new agency."

"We do recognize that some of what the group offers provides critical support to consumers," Schain said. "As a result, we are exploring options that would allow us to make changes to achieve efficiencies needed in these tough financial times while maintaining functions that are the most critical.”

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