Proposed Con Edison rate hikes have Westchester County residents concerned about paying their bills
Westchester County residents weighed in on proposed Con Edison rate hikes at a public hearing Wednesday night.
Con Ed is proposing an average electric bill increase of 11.3% and an average gas bill increase of 10.5%. That's slightly lower than their original proposal announced in January.
The utility says the increases are needed to fortify the grid in the face of severe weather, support the state's clean energy goals and maintain a workforce to swiftly respond to customer service calls.
"This is like paying another mortgage"
More than a dozen customers voiced their concerns in front of the state Public Service Commission in White Plains. Some say while the upgrades to the infrastructure are needed, the hikes are too stiff.
"I look at a lot of our salary increases that we might get on a year-to-year basis, and it's a fraction of the percentage that they're asking for," Elmsford resident Pauline Quinones said.
"I'm looking to move," Greenburgh resident Diane Petrillo said. "I cannot afford Con Ed anymore."
Yonkers resident Carol Beledo said her bills are already hundreds of dollars a month.
"It goes from $600 to over $1,000, and it's just two of us," she said. "We wear two, three sweaters in the wintertime with space heaters."
She added, "I still have to keep working. And this is like paying another mortgage."
"Unfair, unaffordable and unacceptable"
At a rally Wednesday morning, county leaders also opposed the increases.
"The proposed Con Ed rate increase is unfair, unaffordable and unacceptable for Westchester working families," Westchester County Executive Kenneth Jenkins said. "We support a reliable grid for with a sustainable future. But that future must be affordable."
Con Edison says they aware of the issue of affordability, and adds they provided $300 million in bill discounts to low-income customers last year. They say they will continue to enroll more eligible customers to discount plans.