“Of the $155 million in bonding to be approved by the Bond Commission on Aug. 1, $125 million will reduce costs associated with hardship programs for low-income customers and $30 million will be used to reduce the costs associated with the electric vehicle charging program.

Another round of state borrowing expected in 2026 would enable the savings to continue into at least the first several months of 2027, the governor’s office said.

Republicans initially had sought a much more expansive and energy package that would have cost roughly $1 billion a year to eliminate the public benefits charge entirely. But the votes for SB 4 were nearly unanimous: 144-3 in the House, and 34-1 in the Senate.

In a statement issued quickly after Lamont’s announcement Friday, Senate Republicans said gutting the public benefits charge remans their goal: “Merely reducing the hidden public benefits tax is not nearly enough. Republicans will continue pushing to totally eliminate those public benefits charges from electric bills."