ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) — The Public Service Commission, which regulates utility suppliers in New York, approved a request on Wednesday made by National Grid to delay a price hike on their customers planned for April 1.
National Grid’s electricity rate increase of nearly $90 million and gas rate increase of $21.5 million is pushed back to July 1, impacting roughly 2.25 million customers upstate. The utility will also keep benefits received by low-income customers at current levels while waiving certain fees.
For the sake of clarity, note that the postponement does not represent any discount. National Grid has received permission to reschedule its own planned price increase. The increase will still go into effect, but three-months later.
The Commission also approved an order allowing New York American Water to delay a previously-approved rate increase to September that affects customers in Washington, Ulster, Sullivan, Putnam, Westchester, and Nassau Counties.
The Department of Public Service says it will ask other utilities to consider postponing rate increases, although National Grid and NYAW were the only utilities with planned increases on April 1.
The State’s other major utilities—Con Edison, Central Hudson, Orange and Rockland, New York State Electric and Gas, Rochester Gas and Electric, PSEG Long Island and National Fuel Gas—have suspended shut-offs for customers.
