The first reactions are being heard to the agreement that if approved by New York state’s Public Service Commission would allow Con Edison annual 2.8% hikes in electric rates and 2% hikes in gas rates from Jan. 1, 2026 through the end of 2028.
The Westchester Municipal Consortium (WMC), which consists of 40 local municipalities, was instrumental in helping work out the Joint Proposal agreement between Con Edison, the PSC staff, WMC, and other parties.
The WMC says it will not oppose the Joint Proposal, which requires formal approval by the PSC. The PSC will continue to receive comments on the rate case until Nov. 21.
Con Edison originally asked for an electric rate increase of 13.4% and will be granted 2.8% on the total customer bill under the settlement. On the gas side, the original proposal of a 19% increase has been reduced to 2% on the total customer bill. The agreement spans January 1, 2026, through December 31, 2028. Con Ed will be allowed to raise its rates in each of the second and third years by an additional 2.8% for electric and 2.0% for gas.
Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins and the County Board of Legislators in a joint statement slammed the agreement.
“Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins and the Westchester County Board of Legislators strongly reject the proposed rate increases recently announced as part of the Joint Proposal between Con Edison, the New York State Public Service Commission (PSC), and other parties,” the statement said. “Families are already being stretched to the breaking point. Utility bills are skyrocketing while wages remain flat. We are hearing from seniors on fixed incomes, families juggling multiple jobs, and business owners barely staying afloat. A rate hike of this magnitude will force too many to choose between paying their utility bills and affording necessities like food, medicine, or childcare.”
Jenkins and the Board said they realize the importance of investing in infrastructure and clean energy is important.
“We support a reliable grid and a sustainable future,” Jenkins and the Board said. “But that future must be affordable. Con Edison cannot be allowed to continue passing their costs on to customers without full transparency, real justification, and measurable accountability. Any plan that asks residents to pay more must come with clear, measurable benefits – not just promises. We urge the PSC to reconsider this proposal, and work with local leaders to find solutions that do not further burden Westchester ratepayers.”
A slightly different take came fin a joint statement from the Village and Town of Ossining signed by Village of Ossining Mayor Rika Levin and Town of Ossining Supervisor Elizabeth Feldman.
“While these reductions do not go as far as we had hoped, they represent a substantial improvement and a meaningful step forward in maintaining affordability for Westchester residents,” Levin and Feldman said. “For many years, New York City has had a seat at the table at these negotiations which gave them an advantage over Westchester. To that end, the united effort of Westchester’s municipalities clearly had a significant impact on achieving better results.”
Levin and Feldman said they would continue to advocate for fair rates and reliable service.
Cortlandt was a member of the Westchester Municipal Consortium and Cortland Town Supervisor Richard Becker in a message said, “The entire Town Board of Cortlandt has worked tirelessly to fight and minimize the proposed Con Edison rate increases. During these challenging economic times, controlling the overhead families must face on a monthly basis is one our top priorities. Joining together with our neighboring communities, we have made significant strides in preventing these exorbitant rate increases. We will continue to work with the Westchester Municipal Consortium on issues that affect all of us.
State Sen. Shelley Mayer said, “While this proposal is an improvement on ConEd’s original filing, given the depth of the crisis, it does not go far enough for members of our community and I strongly urge the commission to reject it. I want to assure Westchester residents that my colleagues and I will continue to pursue legislative changes to the way utility rates are set, but in the interim, the commission must take action to protect ratepayers. Con Ed shareholders will enjoy the profits made from these rate increases while New Yorkers face unaffordable rates, can’t pay their bills, or will be forced to substitute one needed expense simply to keep the lights and heat on. This proposal ignores the real, demonstrated affordability crisis that my constituents continue to experience and minimizes their voices in a way that I cannot accept. Accordingly, I urge the commission to reject this proposal.”
