Yonkers city leaders fight back against high energy utility rates
Fed up and demanding action - that's the case for many people living in Yonkers and around the Hudson Valley when it comes to their energy bills.
Fed up and demanding action - that's the case for many people living in Yonkers and around the Hudson Valley when it comes to their energy bills.
"In the past two months, they've gone up $200 and it's kind of crazy for me because I'm a basketball coach so I've been busy in season and not even home," says Yonkers resident Cheri Eleazer.
Asking around Yonkers, it's not hard to find someone who is frustrated with their utility bills.
That's especially the case for Nancy Rice.
"I feel like my parents, every time I leave the room it's like shut off the lights, shut off the lights, that's the point it has gotten to," Rice explains to News 12.
Rice says her electric bill has gone up by about an extra $70 a month.
Others are seeing an increase in the hundreds.
The upticks are popping up on bills from multiple different utility companies, from Con Edison to NYSEG.
City leaders in Yonkers are fighting back.
"Not allowing utility companies to go above certain rates, I'm just praying that everybody fighting on each level of government that it's going to do something positive," say Yonkers City Council Majority Whip Deana Robinson.
Robinson says they're trying to get residents relief.
That's why she's backing three recently proposed bills by Sen. Shelley Mayer.
She says they would protect residents, business owners and all utility consumers from unfair and excessive utility rate increases.
A spokesperson with NYSEG previously told News 12 that the increase in some bills has partially been due to a much colder winter this year compared to last.
More details are here: https://www.nyseg.com/w/energy-supply-rates-and-usage-soar-during-frigid-temperatures-as-nyseg-rg-e-rates-remain-steady
Officials with Con Edison say they are aware of the issue of affordability.
Read the full statement below:
“Con Edison is acutely aware of the issue of affordability, which is why last year we provided $300 million of bill discounts to low-income customers in our energy assistance programs. We will continue enrolling all eligible customers and advocate for policy changes to make utility bills more affordable. Nearly 27 percent of the proposed electric revenue increase and about 14.5 percent of the proposed gas revenue increase are a result of the estimated new property taxes on energy infrastructure paid by our customers in 2026. We welcome the opportunity to work with policy makers on solutions that could direct that tax revenue back to low-income customers to provide bill relief or support clean energy programs.
We also have a responsibility to continue to safely and efficiently deliver the nation’s most reliable power while complying with state laws and regulations. That means fortifying the grid in the face of increasingly severe weather, supporting the state’s clean energy goals, and the workforce we need to conduct ongoing maintenance and swiftly respond to customer service calls. Con Edison stands ready to work with stakeholders and the public to balance all these priorities and continue to deliver safe, reliable power while using our customers’ dollars as efficiently as possible.”
