While addressing the

state's budgetary problems will again be the dominant issue for the General Assembly in its 2017 session — the Office of Fiscal Analysis calculates the state confronts a projected $1.5 billion deficit for the fiscal year that begins July 1, 2017 — several matters of local interest deserve watching.

Topping that list could be the fate of

legislation intended to assure the long-term viability of Millstone Power Station in Waterford. Nuclear plants such as Millstone that operate in partially deregulated electric markets have faced a hard time competing with natural gas, which has seen prices drop dramatically as a result of fracking technology. Since 2012, five nuclear plants have closed.

Rather than operating in the daily spot market with natural gas, Millstone owner Dominion Resources wants to compete in the same arena as renewable energy producers, such as hydroelectric and solar, which like Millstone produce no greenhouse admissions. Such an approach would allow Dominion to lock up long-term contracts with the state's two primary power distributors, Eversource and United Illuminating, providing the fiscal stability Dominion says nuclear power needs.

Given Millstone's importance in providing energy for Connecticut and southern New England generally, and its standing as a major industry in his 20th Senatorial District, state Sen. Paul Formica, R-East Lyme, calls enacting legislation to provide Millstone some relief his top priority. Formica serves on the Energy and Technology Committee.

After a freshman term in which Formica learned about the frustration of being in the minority, he will have the opportunity to show he can play a leadership role in a Senate now split 18-18. On the Millstone issue, Formica can expect push back from the gas industry and some environmental groups.

Formica could also play a role in how the legislature reacts to the abuses by the Connecticut Municipal Electric Energy Cooperative, as well documented in this newspaper. For four years, the cooperative, created to help municipal electric utilities hold down customer prices, bankrolled all-expenses-paid trips to the Kentucky Derby for board members, their families and influential friends, culminating in the $342,330 spent in 2016 on 44 Derby participants.

Sen. Cathy Osten, D-Sprague, whose 19th District includes CMEEC member Norwich Public Utilities, has proposed legislation to make the operations of the energy cooperative

more transparent. Formica has called that a start and said more oversight may be necessary to prevent future abuses.

Can Senator-elect Heather Somers of the 18th District be able to get legislation passed  to address what she made the major theme of her campaign: improving the economy?

Somers captured a seat held for 10 years by Democrat Andy Maynard, who opted not to seek re-election. Somers wants the state focused on helping small businesses and emerging industries. She told me she will work to ease the regulatory burden on businesses, starting with rules that don't make sense.

Meanwhile Democratic Rep. Diana Urban, whose 43rd District includes Stonington and North Stonington, will fight to compensate Connecticut small businesses for the $250,000 they collectively lost when Amistad America, the nonprofit group formerly contracted to run the education mission of the state ship Amistad, went under due to gross mismanagement.

Urban wants to take money from the $300,000 allotted to the new operators of the ship, Discovering Amistad, and use it to pay off the small-business creditors. So far, party leadership is showing no interest in that idea. But Urban, entering her ninth term, has shown the ability in the past to line up votes.

Paul Choiniere is the editorial page editor.