State officials urged electric and gas companies to provide relief to consumers in the face of rising rates.
Governor Kathy Hochul and New York’s utility regulators are calling on the state’s major energy providers to increase outreach and education efforts as energy prices and bills continue to skyrocket.
“The extreme increases in utility bills we are all seeing are having a serious impact on our household budgets, and we are taking action in response,” Hochul said in a statement.
The president announced Tuesday that the Public Utilities Commission sent letters to all utility providers in the state asking them to take steps to “proactively communicate, protect customers, and mitigate cost impacts wherever possible, including through a variety of purchase methods and hedges.”
Regulators also urged companies to promote consumer payment assistance plans and programs to reduce energy use.
The move comes two weeks after the Hochul administration called Con Ed to account for surprising New Yorkers with astronomical increases in recent bills.
Hochul urged all energy providers in the state to work with customers to “protect them from volatile prices and educate them about available resources.”
On Monday, Attorney General Letitia James wrote a separate letter to Con Ed demanding the company provide an explanation for the sharp increase in monthly rates and commit to increasing transparency for consumers on future rate increases.
Thousands of New York City and Westchester residents filed complaints with James’ office after receiving utility bills in January that were significantly higher than previous months despite using the same amount of electricity.
“Working New Yorkers shouldn’t have to make sacrifices to keep the lights on or stay warm during the coldest winter months,” James said in a statement.
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