New York Residents Fight Proposed ConEd Rate Increase
June 27 2019 - 10:47AM
Dow Jones News
By Acacia Coronado
New York residents and advocates voiced concerns about
Consolidated Edison Inc.'s proposed electrical and natural-gas rate
increases at a public hearing in Manhattan on Wednesday.
Con Edison, which provides electricity for 3.4 million customers
and natural gas for 1.1 million clients in New York City and
Westchester County, wants to add $485 million in electricity and
$210 million in natural gas revenue in 2020.
The Public Service Commission, the state's utility regulator, is
currently reviewing the proposal.
According to the company, New York City customers using 300
kilowatt-hours would see their bills increase an average of $4.45
to $81.78, or 5.8%. The bill for a Westchester County customer
using 450 kilowatt-hours would increase $6.10 to $114.04, an
increase of 5.7%. For a typical commercial customer using 10,800
kilowatt-hours, the monthly bill would increase $80.96 to
$1,970.67, or 4.3%.
The average monthly bill for a residential gas customer would
increase almost 11%, adding $17.28 for a total of $176.34.
The company said the rate rise would help fund safety measures,
such as natural-gas detectors, optimize storm response time and
replace 100 miles of gas main line each year. It also wants to
develop new technology programs, such as a mapping system.
Chris Widelo, AARP's associate state director, said many members
of the advocacy group for older adults think this is a terrible
deal, because Con Edison customers already consistently pay some of
the highest rates in the country.
"ConEd's proposal is especially harmful for smaller residential
customers" Mr. Widelo said. "Those rates would be of the highest
monthly charges in the nation and would discourage
conservation."
Michael Clendenin, director of communications for Con Edison,
said company officials will do "what we need to do to maintain the
system that we have and make investments to meet the energy needs
of our customers."
The proposal is currently a one-year increase, but Mr. Clendenin
said he hoped to discuss the possibility of a multiyear increase
plan with the Public Service Commission. It will ultimately be up
to the discretion of the commission to determine the timeline and
what will benefit customers.
Laurie Wheelock, counsel for the advocacy group Public Utility
Law Project, questioned whether people could afford the increase.
About 24% of seniors in the Bronx, 22% in Brooklyn and 18% in
Manhattan live below the poverty line and many already have a hard
time making utility payments, she said, citing statistics the group
has gathered.
About 40 members of AARP attended Wednesday's hearing to rebuke
the proposal. Grace Holder, who lives in Brooklyn, said she has
financial concerns about the percentage increase.
"My job doesn't give me an increase every year, but I still need
to pay my bills," she said.
Public comments will be accepted by phone and online until Sept.
30.
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
June 27, 2019 10:32 ET (14:32 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2019 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
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