Local energy supplier acquires free connector (6)
I believe the answer is:
bridge
'connector' is the definition.
(bridge is a kind of connector)
'local energy supplier acquires free' is the wordplay.
I cannot quite see how this works, but
'energy' could be 'e' (physics symbol as in E=mc2) and 'e' is located in the answer.
'free' could be 'rid' (to be free of something is to be rid of it) and 'rid' is present in the answer.
This explanation may well be incorrect...
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for bridge that I've seen before include "going across river?" , "Four-handed card game" , "Join" , "Crossing point" , "Structure carrying a road, railway etc." .)