EXCLUSIVE: Some Con Edison workers speak out against rate hike proposal
About 30 current and former Con Edison workers came out to the Westchester County Board of Legislators' Con Ed public input session in Mount Kisco on Tuesday to oppose the plan.
Some Con Edison workers spoke out about the proposed rate hikes.
About 30 current and former Con Edison workers came out to the Westchester County Board of Legislators' Con Ed public input session in Mount Kisco on Tuesday to oppose the plan.
"We're a labor union, but we're also ratepayers ourselves and majorities, and we struggle with these bills," says Frank Morales, president of Local 1-2.
Morales helps represent about 8,000 utility workers from New York City and Westchester.
The union says the proposed rate hike is just too much for ratepayers. They say that some of the programs Con Ed may be looking to fund aren't needed.
"It's actually the first time we went to a meeting like this and I'm glad we did," says Morales.
"They were speaking about some of the specifics about some of those individual projects that were included in that rate case and so that was very new for us all to hear," says Erika Pierce, of the Westchester County Board of Legislators District.
As News 12 has previously reported, there have been several meetings where ratepayers have spoken out against Con Ed's proposal.
If approved, it would be an 11% increase for electric services and a 13% increase for gas next year.
A Con Ed spokesperson tells News 12 that the money will improve the grid against severe weather, support the state's clean energy goals and respond to customer needs.
“Con Edison is committed to balancing stakeholder priorities while delivering safe, reliable power. We are encouraged by the active review of our investment plan by all stakeholders and the ongoing discussions about our shared energy future," the Con Ed spokesperson said in a statement. “Our 14,000 employees are dedicated to safely delivering the nation’s most reliable power while using our resources as efficiently as possible.”
It will be up to the state Public Service Commission to approve the hike.
"[Gov. Kathy] Hochul has tasked the PSC with scrutinizing Con Edison’s ongoing rate case to ensure safe and reliable service at just and reasonable rates. The PSC is in the midst of collecting and reviewing public comments submitted in the Con Edison rate case," a spokesperson for the Public Service Commission said.
People are encouraged to submit comments for review and consideration. Comments can be submitted HERE.
