To say I’m disappointed in the decision made by New York’s Public Service Commission to approve National Grid’s rate hike proposal is an understatement. Families and businesses here in upstate will end up paying $102 more for the delivery of electricity and $91 more for natural gas each year.
I have strongly opposed National Grid’s rate hike proposal from the start. The company has reported millions of dollars in profits and is now set to receive about $76 million in savings under the new federal tax law. Increasing rates is simply unacceptable.
While the Public Service Commission is charged with making decisions on proposals like this, it is not accountable to the residents who ultimately pay for these essential services.
This decision shows the need for new legislation I have introduced in the state Assembly that would establish more oversight of the Public Service Commission and provide more protection for the ratepayers here in upstate New York.
Angelo Santabarbara
Schenectady
The writer is an assemblyman representing Albany, Montgomery and Schenectady counties.
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Categories: Letters to the Editor, Opinion
