RG&E and NYSEG have filed for a rate hike request.
While we’ve been reporting about higher home energy prices due to inflation and other global issues – the energy provider says it’s looking for a rate hike that will likely increase bills another $10.
This comes as homeowners and renters alike say they cannot afford their bills, or they are fed up with RG&E failing to get bills right.
“It was $673.03 and that was August 5th. They didn’t bill me anything in the month of September, and now they just billed me like $300 and I checked multiple times, and they billed me like twice this month for $150 earlier this month and then for some reason $128,” Sophia Martinez said. Martinez is an RG&E customer that volunteers with Metro Justice to fight RG&E’s rate hike and to replace RG&E with a public utility in the Rochester area.
She took her concerns to the state, and urged regulators to deny their rate hike request.
Brighton Town Supervisor Bill Moehle said with billing issues being reported by customers on a daily basis and few resolutions from the provider made available, RG&E needs to act before rate increases should be approved. “RG&E doesn’t deserve the benefit of the doubt this time. Reject this rate hike until RG&E can show substantial improvements in their system maintenance and in their billing practice,” he told 13WHAM.
Public hearings continue today (Oct. 18th).
They claimed the rate hikes were necessary, but again dodged billing issues.
“RG&E recognizes how increased costs have impacted us all. During the rate case process, we take all public comments and feedback into consideration, and we look forward to finding the best way to continue delivering safe, reliable and affordable energy to our customers. During this process we are hoping for a multiyear rate case agreement that reduces the impact on customers while advancing much needed upgrades to critical infrastructure,” a spokesperson for RG&E told News10NBC.
Here’s what they say the rate hike will help with:
- Increased tree trimming and replacing aging infrastructure to reduce the number and length of outages.
- Replacing thousands of poles with more storm-resistant poles to combat the impacts of climate change.
- Customer resources such as home energy audits and efficiency upgrades for low-to-moderate income customers.
- Additional employees for our customer call centers to respond to customer questions and concerns.
- Enhancing customer service options to enable customers to make online payments and request new service from their mobile device.
- Procurement of company-owned battery storage and solar for low-income customers, enhancing environmental justice initiatives in our community.
- Initiatives to help low-income customers choose energy efficient LED bulbs over other options.
Want to be a part of those public hearings? Here’s the login information for each!
Tuesday, October 18 at 1 p.m.
- Electronic Access: www.webex.com
- Event Number: 2349 583 6026
- Event Password: Oct18-1pm
- Phone-Only Access: 518-549-0500
- Access Code: 2349 583 6026
Tuesday, October 18 at 5 p.m.
- Electronic Access: www.webex.com
- Event Number: 2346 895 0569
- Password: Oct18-5pm
- Phone-Only Access: 518-549-0500
- Access Code: 2346 895 0569
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