Industry and IBEW News

The West Hartford Town Council voted 9 to 0 to approve a zoning change at 230 Newington Road, clearing the way for a 54 unit for-sale affordable housing development proposed by Honeycomb Real Estate Partners. The project calls for six two-story residential buildings on approximately 2.49 acres, with the zoning board still to take up the building permit application.
Connecticut's Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) has recommended replacing the state's current residential, non residential, and shared clean energy tariff programs with a unified eight-year successor program running from 2028 to 2035. Key changes include reduced export compensation to encourage on-site energy use, a shift to a "first-ready" project selection process for non-residential projects, and continued incentives for low-income customers and energy storage.
Student transportation provider Zum will deploy a fully electric school bus fleet for Branford Public Schools beginning in the 2026 27 school year, making Branford the largest fully electric school district with vehicle to grid (V2G) capabilities in the Northeast. The district is completing its transition to 100% electric buses three years ahead of its original schedule, with bidirectional V2G charging infrastructure that will allow buses to return stored energy to the local grid when not in service.
Ten years after the Paris Agreement took effect, newly released climate data shows 2025 ranking among the three hottest years on record, with ocean heat and sea levels reaching new highs. Efforts to phase out fossil fuels remain insufficient, and with the U.S. having withdrawn from the accord, the world is on course to significantly overshoot its climate targets.
Rep. Donald Norcross, the only IBEW represented electrician in Congress has introduced the Faster Labor Contracts Act, which would set enforceable deadlines for first contract negotiations, requiring talks to begin within 10 days of certification and moving to binding arbitration if no agreement is reached within 120 days. IBEW International President Kenneth W. Cooper is urging members to contact their representatives in support of the bill.