The New York State Public Service Commission (PSC) has unanimously approved a proposed rate increase by RG&E and NYSEG.
The decision comes after the utilities presented a revised rate plan in June 2023, under which RG&E’s electric rates would see a 16% increase and gas rates nearly 11% over the coming three years. NYSEG’s approved rate increase sits at 22.1% for electric and 6.1% for gas over three years.
This translates to an estimated $10 monthly increase per customer. The original proposal, which sought a 31% hike in electric rates and a 20.9% rise in gas rates, faced significant opposition from community leaders, officials, and advocacy groups.
The rate adjustments follow a broader investigation by PSC into both utilities, sparked by a surge in billing complaints and customer service issues. In light of these concerns, the approved proposal incorporates negative rate adjustments amounting to $18.5 million, aimed at benefiting ratepayers and reducing future rates.
These adjustments serve as financial penalties for the utilities’ failure to meet specific billing and customer service metrics. Should these metrics not be met for two consecutive years in the future, the penalty will double to $37 million.
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