By Rick Pezzullo—
Residents and local officials spent two days last week telling the New York State Department of Public Service (NYSDPS) that under no uncertain terms should Con Edison be given permission to increase electric and gas rates again in 2026.
The virtual hearings held April 8 and 9 drew the ire of many who maintained Con Edison’s petition to the state Public Service Commission (PSC) to raise electric rates by 18% and residential delivery charges by 25% and natural gas delivery rates by 19% was nothing more than corporate greed.
“This to me is corporate greed and theft and they shouldn’t be allowed to get away with it,” remarked Mt. Pleasant resident Kal Salim. “This is basically gutting the middle class. This is preposterous. This is incredibly insane.”
The utility is seeking to collect approximately $1.6 billion more in electric revenue and approximately $440 million in gas revenue “to fund the investments necessary for a safe and reliable clean energy future.”
“These investments reflect Con Edison’s commitment to our customers to continue to build a clean, reliable and resilient grid of the future while advancing New York State and New York City’s climate goals,” Con Edison President Matthew Ketschke stated in a January 31 letter to PSC Secretary Michelle Phillips. “We are filing one-year electric and gas rate plans but intend to explore multiyear rate plans in settlement discussions with the Department of Public Service and other interested parties.”
Con Edison serves more than nine million people in Westchester and New York City, but no customers appear to be siding with its rationale for hiking rates again.
“When I heard of this proposal I almost had a heart attack,” said Westchester County resident Katharine Dow, who noted her Con Edison bill was more than $1,000 this winter. “None of the arguments make any sense. It’s a gut wrencher.”
“The cost of keeping the lights on is skyrocketing beyond our means,” said Justine Morris, who described herself as a young adult homeowner. “Con Ed is not struggling. Con Ed is not just getting by. Enough is enough! This is unjust.”
In what is intended to show unity and bipartisan support, 38 cities, towns, and villages in Westchester, including all the rivertowns, have joined together to form a municipal consortium to oppose the rate increases.
“Our communities must stand together to protect our residents and businesses from these excessive rate hikes,” said Mount Vernon Mayor Shawyn Patterson-Howard, President of the Westchester Municipal Officials Association (WMOA), representing the municipal consortium. “By joining forces, we will seek to ensure that our voices are heard and that any approved rate changes are fair and just.”
Meanwhile, Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins secured a PSC public hearing in Westchester on Con Edison’s rate hikes.
“If Con Edison truly believes this rate hike is justified, they should look the people of Westchester in the eye and explain why. Residents and business owners deserve the opportunity to ask questions, get answers, and be heard—not just on paper, not just online, but face to face,” Jenkins stated.
Jenkins testified at the PSC’s virtual hearing, stating that Westchester residents simply cannot afford to pay more for an essential service.
“I am here on behalf of all working-class families, seniors on fixed incomes, and small business owners who are already doing everything they can to make ends meet. Forcing people to choose between heating their homes and buying groceries is not just bad policy—it’s unacceptable,” he said.
Read or leave a comment on this story...
Share
Print
One thought on “Residents, Officials Decry Proposed Con Edison Rate Hikes”
Sorry, comments are closed.