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Mary J. Healey Mary J. Healey was appointed Consumer Counsel for the State of Connecticut
in September 2001 by Governor John G. Rowland to serve a term of five
years. When the Legislature convened in March 2002, her appointment
was unanimously confirmed. Since her appointment, she has worked to
revitalize the Office of Consumer Counsel and has taken a proactive
role in representing the utility ratepayers of Connecticut.Beginning in 1976, Healey, an attorney, served eight years as Senior Staff Attorney and Assistant Secretary for Insilco Corporation in Meriden. In 1989, she joined Yankee Energy System, Inc. in Meriden where she served 11 years as an executive. As Vice President and General Counsel for Yankee, she played a key role as a member of the executive team advising the Board of Directors, and overseeing legal matters for the Company and its subsidiaries. She also played a key role in Yankee’s successful merger with Northeast Utilities. Since her appointment as Consumer Counsel, Healey has participated in major dockets before the Department of Public Utility Control and the Connecticut Siting Council. The Consumer Counsel has been actively participating in cases of high importance to Connecticut’s utility customers, including the siting of the Cross Sound Cable and the 345Kv electric transmission lines. Healey was instrumental in negotiating two important settlement agreements, one involving two of Connecticut’s local gas distribution companies (LDCs) which resolved multiple contentious dockets and resulted in significant benefits to gas consumers of $24 million over the four years of the agreement; the second, among all three of Connecticut’s LDCs and gas marketers relates to the gas unbundling process and will result in the elimination of an unfair subsidy which will benefit all firm gas sales customers. Under her guidance, the Office of Consumer Counsel has worked to realize lower rates for consumers in several significant rate cases before the DPUC. Healey has participated in the Electric Restructuring Working Group subcommittee at the General Assembly; is joint author with the DPUC on an Electric Default Study; and has given public testimony at the Institute for Sustainable Energy and on several bills at the Energy and Technology Committee hearings. In anticipation of the 2003 Legislative Session, OCC issued its White Paper on Electric Restructuring which has helped shape and sharpen the debate concerning ratepayer and other restructuring issues. Through Healey’s initiative, the Office of Consumer Counsel is now an active member of the New England Power Pool. OCC also participates in the National Association of Utility Consumer Advocates, the New England Council of Public Utility Commissioners, the Water Planning Council, and the New England Gas Association. A graduate of Mount Holyoke College and Boston College Law School, Healey served on the Connecticut Energy Advisory Board from 1995 to 2000 and chaired the Public Utility Section of the Connecticut Bar Association from 1998 to 2000. National Association of State Utility Consumer Advocates |