Eversource officials are maintaining that the negative regulatory environment in Connecticut is the sole reason S&P Global Ratings downgraded its credit rating this week from A- to BBB+, and the utility fired back at the state's Consumer Advocate for his criticism of them.

A recent credit rating downgrade for Eversource Energy’s Connecticut subsidiaries ultimately will be borne by its customers, the utility said Tuesday. “The negative impact of these credit rating downgrades will be long-lasting,

The credit rating downgrade for Eversource by Standard & Poor's comes after the rating agency took similar action against two CT gas companies.

Utility companies in Connecticut are warning customers that bills are likely to go up again. Eversource, Connecticut Natural Gas (CNG), and Southern Connecticut Gas (SCG) all had their credit ratings lowered in the last week from a rating in the A range down to a BBB+.

S&P Global Ratings lowered the long-term issuer credit on the state's largest utility, Eversource, from A- to BBB+.

This latest ratings action is independent confirmation that the Connecticut regulatory environment is harming the ability of electric, water and gas companies to hold financing costs down for