Oct. 30--State utility regulators today resumed interrogating executives of Connecticut Natural Gas and Southern Connecticut Gas about how their plans to lay off 67 workers might affect service.

On Sept. 24 the Department of Public Utility Control issued a temporary order forbidding the companies from executing the layoffs until they satisfy DPUC commissioners' concerns. This morning the commission resumed testimony in a hearing at DPUC headquarters in New Britain.

In imposing the highly unusual prohibition, regulators relied on a broad state statute giving DPUC the authority to "keep fully informed" about "all public service companies" regarding their ability to carry out their duties safely.

Blumenthal and state Consumer Counsel Mary Healey had asked the regulators to halt the layoffs.

The companies notified employees of the layoffs on Sept. 4. Company executives said they were prompted by falling sales, rising health care and pension benefits costs and "the overall economic recession."

Over the summer, the DPUC low- ered the rates the two gas companies may charge consumers, rate cuts that the companies have appealed.

The job cuts would eliminate 21 positions at CNG, 6 percent of the company's Connecticut workforce, and 46 at SCG, 14 percent of the company's workforce in the state. Workers who respond to gas leaks and repair meters, dispatchers and other job types were affected. The positions are held by union and nonunion employees.

-- Eric Gershon

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