ROCHESTER, N.Y. – As we’ve been reporting, RG&E customers will see a $12 increase on their bills come May as part of a negotiated rate increase approved by state regulators. 

If you’re a National Grid customer and you thought you were spared, think again. Now, that utility wants to increase its customers’ rates, too.   

National Grid is asking state regulators to increase its average residential customer’s bill by $18.92 more per month for electricity and $18.34 more per month for natural gas.  

News10NBC investigative reporter Jennifer Lewke went to the utility to ask them why.

Jennifer Lewke, News10NBC: “You must obviously understand as a company that when you tell your customers, we’re going to need $40 more from you per month – that’s a punch in the stomach.”

Dave Bertola, National Grid spokesman: “This isn’t something that we did in a vacuum or in a dark room and then we just presented it to the [Public Service Commission]. We want to be transparent in this process.”

He went on: “We know that, the rates – you mentioned it’s a punch in the stomach. Nobody likes to have prices increased any place: at the gas pump, the grocery store, from your energy company.”

Lewke: “Why do you need about $18 more on both sides of gas and electric from your customers?”

Bertola: “As we go toward electrifying more things like cars and buses, etc. we need to stay a step ahead.  We can’t be that bottleneck, that log jam.”

He continued: “More is being electrified. As we look to a future where there’s more electric vehicles, there’s more electric buildings, how do we make sure that we have enough electricity being delivered to the places that need it?”

Lewke: “There are going to be people who hear this story and say, I just cannot manage it, I need help.  What options are going to be available for them?”

Bertola: “We have programs in place to help people pay their bills. We have our consumer advocates who we are planning to have at these public service meetings where you can interact directly with them.”

Those meetings are public hearings set for this week in Syracuse and next week in Buffalo. If you’re a customer and want to have your voice heard, you can sign up to talk at either of those or a virtual hearing.