Four elected officials and some customers of New York State Electric and Gas (NYSEG) gathered at Bedford Town Hall to express their opposition to the request for rate hikes that NYSEG has filed with the Public Service Commission.
NYSEG has proposed increasing electric delivery rates by approximately 35% and natural gas delivery rates by nearly 39.4%. The NYSEG rate case is being considered on the heels of the rate hikes granted to Con Edison for electric and gas rates. Con Edison’s wanted a 19% increase for electricity and 13% for gas. Those were cut to 2.8% annual increases for electric and 2% for gas.
New York State Sen. Pete Harckham and Assemblymember Chris Burdick were joined by Westchester County Legislator Erika Pierce and Bedford Deputy Supervisor Stephanie McCaine in urging the PSC to reject NYSEG’s proposed rate hikes. Some other officials released statements sending the same message.
“New Yorkers are facing a cost-of-living crisis,” Harckham said. “At a time when families are struggling to pay rent, buy groceries, and afford medicine, imposing dramatic utility rate hikes is not the answer. The PSC must stand with consumers – not approve massive increases that most households simply cannot afford.”
According to Burdick, “Our constituents have seen their utility bills double and even triple in recent years. People who have lived within their means are now struggling to make ends meet because of soaring utility rates.”
Pierce said, “It is bad enough when the bills are too high, which they currently are, but it is even worse when the bills are also frequently incomprehensible or just downright wrong, and connecting with customer service is an impossibility. For so many reasons, the PSC must say no to this rate request, and further, must demand more accountability and better customer service from NYSEG.”
McCaine pointed out, “We have a majority of NYSEG customers in the Town of Bedford. This issue is very important. We are very grateful to have our county and state partners here and members of the community to shed light on this very important issue.”
State Senator Shelley Mayer said, “I join my colleagues in Northern Westchester to urge the PSC to reject NYSEG’s proposed rate hikes. It has been apparent for some time that utility rates, such as those imposed by Con Ed and NYSEG, impose a tremendous financial burden on many Westchester households. NYSEG ratepayers are families, seniors on fixed incomes, and small businesses. They should not have to struggle to afford the basic essentials of heat and electricity.”
State Assemblymember Dana Levenberg said, “I’m proud to support my colleagues speaking out against the NYSEG rate hikes. Residents are struggling to afford their bills all over New York State, and our utility rate case process is partly to blame.”
Assemblyman Matt Slater said, “Families and individuals are still facing high costs for housing, food, healthcare, and other essentials. For many, any increase in utility rates represents not just an inconvenience, but a genuine hardship. The PSC must act in the best interest of consumers and rein in NYSEG’s proposed hikes.”
