Public Hearings Announces Regarding NYSEG’s Proposed Rate Increases For Electricity & Gas

The New York State Public Service Commission (PSC) says both in-person and virtual public statement hearings will take place in the month of October regarding NYSEG’s proposed electricity and natural gas rate increases.

According to the PSC, NYSEG has proposed to increase their electric delivery revenues by nearly $464.4 million, which will be an 18.4% in their total revenues or a 35% increase in base delivery revenues. For the company’s natural gas delivery revenues, NYSEG looks to increase their revenues around $93 million, a 22.1% increase in total revenues or 39.4% increase in base delivery revenues.

The PSC says the proposed electric and gas delivery revenue increases would help NYSEG with their investments to meet growing energy demand throughout the state and allow them to upgrade aging infrastructure and systems to improve reliability and customer service.

Under NYSEG’s proposed increases, the average increase for residents will be $33.12 a month for electricity. For natural gas customers, the monthly increase in their bill on average would be $33.57.

“[NYSEG] indicate that the primary drivers of the requested electric delivery revenue increases are increased storm and vegetation management expense, increased capital investments to address aging infrastructure and to increase capacity, information technology upgrades, and incremental operations and maintenance expense. [NYSEG] state that the primary drivers of the requested gas delivery revenue increases include prevailing wage requirements, federal and state pipeline safety mandates requiring system investments and upgrades, and costs to meet clean energy goals.”

The PSC said in a release.

The PSC added as part of NYSEG’s rate filing, they have also proposed to close the walk-in office located at 1387 Dryden Road in Ithaca. NYSEG would also close walk-in locations in Auburn and Oneonta.

For the Cortland & Ithaca area, the in-person public statement hearing will take place at the Ithaca Town Hall on Wednesday, October 8th at 1pm and at 6pm at 215 N. Tioga Street in Ithaca.

“At the hearings, all those wishing to comment on the proposed closures will have an opportunity to make a statement on the record or to submit a written statement. It is not necessary to make an appointment in advance or to present written material to speak at an in-person hearing. Individuals will be called to speak after completing a request card. Each public statement hearing will be open for at least thirty minutes or until everyone wishing to speak has been heard or other reasonable arrangements have been made to include their comments in the record. A verbatim transcript of each public statement hearing will be included in the record of these proceedings.”

A virtual public statement hearing will be held on Tuesday, October 21st at 1pm and at 6pm. Details on login may be found below for both virtual meetings.