Public Hearings Continue on RG&E’s Rate Hike Request
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ROCHESTER, N.Y. — For months, the News10NBC Investigative team has been exposing major billing and customer service issues at RG&E. While all of that is going on, the utility is also asking state regulators for permission to significantly raise rates.
If RG&E’s current request is granted, the average customer is looking at an increase of about $12.95 per month for electric delivery and an $8.50 hike for gas delivery.
On Monday, state lawmakers from across the Finger Lakes region called on RG&E to either pull back the request or for regulators to flat-out deny it.
“RG&E’s proposal to jack up our rates by almost 20% is unconscionable and entitled,” said Mohini Sharma, an organizing director of Metro Justice and RG&E customer who attended a press conference with a number of lawmakers.
For months, the News10NBC Investigative team has been exposing major billing and customer service issues at RG&E. While all of that is going on, the utility is also asking state regulators for permission to significantly raise rates.
See our stories about RG&E:
- RG&E threatening to shut off customers for uninspected meters
- Lifespan Helping Elderly Customers Worried about High RG&E Bills
- Public hearings begin on RG&E and NYSEG rate hike requests
- RG&E president responds to billing issues and PSC penalty
- RG&E penalized $900,000 for missing bill service quality metric
- Hilton Man Gets $7,622 Bill from RG&E
- RG&E will host four informational sessions about new smart meters
- RG&E and NYSEG to begin installing smart meters across the region
- President of RG&E: “We’re working on ways to make billing more efficient”
- Good Question: What’s behind RG&E billing issues?
- An Irondequoit man’s big RG&E bill spurs a call to News10NBC
- RG&E answers questions about months of no bills
- After months of no bills, pizza shop owner gets $6,168 RG&E bill
- ‘We were shocked’: Marion family facing nearly $1K utility bill
- RG&E offers help, suggestions for customers stunned by big bills
Oscar Brewer is a renter, he got slammed with a big bill once a meter reader finally came to get an actual read after months of estimates, he’s already having trouble keeping up, “they’re definitely putting our backs up against the wall and unfortunately, if we’re not able to pay the full bill they’re gonna threaten to cut us off so, they technically have the upper hand,” he tells News10NBC.
NYS Senator Samra Brouk says this topic, is one she hears from a lot of constituents about, “in our office we are fielding call after call after call,” she says, “yesterday, we heard from a young woman who got her RG&E bill and it was five times her bill from the previous month, we have heard from people who have tried to call customer service, who have tried to work with RG&E and are not getting the answers that they deserve and the answers that they need to do their own budgetary planning to support their families.”
In a statement, a spokesman for RG&E says:
“RG&E recognizes how increased costs have impacted us all. During the rate case process, we take all public comments and feedback into consideration, and we look forward to finding the best way to continue delivering safe, reliable and affordable energy to our customers. During this process we are hoping for a multiyear rate case agreement that reduces the impact on customers while advancing much needed upgrades to critical infrastructure. Proposed areas of investment include:
• Increased tree trimming and replacing aging infrastructure to reduce the number and length of outages
• Replacing thousands of poles with more storm-resistant poles to combat the impacts of climate change
• Customer resources such as home energy audits and efficiency upgrades for low-to-moderate income customers
• Additional employees for our customer call centers to respond to customer questions and concerns
• Enhancing customer service options to enable customers to make online payments and request new service from their mobile device.
• Procurement of company-owned battery storage and solar for low-income customers, enhancing environmental justice initiatives in our community
• Initiatives to help low-income customers choose energy efficient LED bulbs over other options
Rising expenses have impacted us as well. Even with the proposed rate case, we continue to have among the lowest electric and gas rates in the state. Preparing for the energy future will require significant investment, and we are committed to ensuring that all of our customers will benefit.”
Public hearings on the proposed rate hike continue Tuesday. More information on how to sign up to be heard or to submit written comments here. Here is information about the meetings:
DATE: Tuesday, October 18, 2022
TIME: 1:00 P.M.
Electronic Access: www.webex.com
Event Number: 2349 583 6026
Event Password: Oct18-1pm
Phone-Only Access: 518-549-0500
Access Code: 2349 583 6026
DATE: Tuesday, October 18, 2022
TIME: 5:00 P.M.
Electronic Access: www.webex.com
Event Number: 2346 895 0569
Password: Oct18-5pm
Phone-Only Access: 518-549-0500
Access Code: 2346 895 0569