A-A-R-P New York is calling on Governor Kathy Hochul to reject a proposed utility rate hike. New York State Electric and Gas, and Rochester Gas and Electric are proposing a 62-percent electric delivery rate increase for customers. NYSEG and R-G-and-E are saying this increase is being done to help pay for climate-change initiatives. Experts estimate this increase would force customers to pay $900 over the duration of the proposed increase. Bill Ferris with A-A-R-P New York says this could impact already flailing ratepayers.
“There are close to over 130,000 people in the NYSEG area who are 60 days behind on their bill,” said Ferris. “If you look at the same data, theres over 70,000 people in the NYSEG area who received a final termination notice, and 1,500 people were terminated this year in the month of August.”
Outside of the governors intervention, Ferris says a piece of legislation could help ratepayers afford their utility bills. He describes how the bills implementation of data matching can aid ratepayers.
“So, if someone is on this Energy Affordability Program, and theyre on the HEAP program, which is a program helping people pay for those bills, use the data between those programs, and enhance and increase the roles of people to get them more of a benefit, of a low-income benefit.”
Although the bill passed both chambers of the New York State Legislature, it has yet to be signed by Governor Hochul. Recently, separate legislation was approved to protect consumers from surprise energy price increases. That bill requires energy service companies to get customers consent before any material prices increase.
