BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — By next spring, National Grid customers may be shelling out more on their monthly bills.
The utility has proposed increasing its annual electric and gas revenues by April 2025
According to the state's Public Service Commission, the average home could see a nearly $19 increase in electric and more than $18 for gas.
This is nearly $40 extra each month for customers who rely on the utility for both services.
The state held a public hearing Tuesday, to give neighbors the opportunity to voice concerns surrounding the proposed hike.
"It's outrageous. Rates are very high right now. To add onto it would add a lot of problems for a lot of people in Western New York and across the state," AARP NY Volunteer Advocate Kurt Kojm told me.
He and other Buffalo residents shared their frustration and disbelief that their utility bills would increase by almost $19.
"With this going up $20 per month, that's going to really be a burden to me," AARP NY Volunteer Advocate Yolanda Wyatt said. "We are just normal people just trying to live."
Kurt Kojm and Yolanda Wyatt are both AARP New York volunteer advocates.
Wyatt, who is disabled, is on a fixed income.
Wyatt said, "With a rate increase, there is no way for me to go to my boss and ask for an increase because I am not going to get an increase. There's no way for me to work overtime because I am not going get overtime. I am not working. There is no way for me to get any other income except for my social security disability."
She said all of her rent will more than double, come January, her utilities have already gone up and food prices are unbearable.
She told me a lot of her electricity usage is partially used for her lifesaving equipment.
"I have this that I need to charge. I have my CPAP that I told you about. I have a Life Alert button that I push, if there is an emergency. I don't think they're taking into consideration that there are a lot of elderly, there are a lot of disabled people. There are a lot of people, just normal, everyday people that can't afford this," Wyatt added.
National Grid Regional Director Ken Kujawa said, "We understand that customers are obviously concerned. No one wants to see their rates go up and we're very cognizant of that but our business is very capital intensive. We have to make investments in our infrastructure so that we can continue to provide safe and reliable service to our customers."
Kujawa said this increase is due to the desire to invest up to $1.8 billion into electrification infrastructure, such as transportation with electric vehicles and electric heat pumps.
"What we are hopeful is that working with the Public Service Commission and all of the intervening parties, we can reach a multi-year settlement agreement and what that would allow us to do is take the rate increase that we've proposed and spread it out over a number of years, so that the impact that the customer sees in that first year, isn't as great as what is being talked about today," Kujawa added.
Laurie Wheelock is the executive director and council for Public Utility Law Project.
Public Utility Law Project Executive Director and Council Laurie Wheelock said, "We'll be filing testimony and we'll be working through the next 11 months with the company, the department and other parties to try and see that the rate increase be brought down as much as possible."
The nonprofit specializes in helping and empowering low-income utility customers.
Wheelock said, "Just knowing about different financial assistance programs coming is really important. One of those is HEAP; the Home Energy Assistance Program which helps with heating bills will actually open November 1st this year. Both National Fuel Gas and National Grid have monthly discount programs."
Another statewide public hearing will take place Wed. September 25 at 1 p.m. virtually. Click here for the link.
According to Kujawa, this public meeting will conclude the public hearing process.
Once again, the new rates would take effect in April 2025.
