POUGHKEEPSIE – Days after the state announced an agreement with Central Hudson Gas and Electric to start monthly billing for actual electric usage and the hiring of an independent monitor to oversee its billing practices, the utility announced its proposal for a new rate plan and State Assemblyman Jonathan Jacobson (D, Newburgh) is taking them to task. His criticism comes following a similar attack from State Senator Michelle Hinchey (D, Saugerties).
The approximately 16 percent increase in the average residential electric bill and approximately 19 percent increase in the average residential natural gas bill would take effect when the current rate plan expires in June 2024. On Monday, Senator Michelle Hinchey rebuffed the electric company’s plan. “I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: Central Hudson should not receive a rate increase, and most certainly not at a time when the company is being investigated by the PSC for improper billing practices while continuing to issue inaccurate bills to Hudson Valley residents,” she said.
On Tuesday, Jacobson expressed his displeasure with Central Hudson’s plea to raise rates.
“Given the service they have been doing, given what they have been all along as far as the inaccurate billing, the non-billing, and all the consumers through in this area, they do not need another pay raise,” he said.
Jacobson was one of the first elected leaders to expose and then square off with the utility company over their erroneous billing issues that created a sense of panic throughout the region as customers received bills that were more than double their usual cost.
After acknowledging that Central Hudson “agreed to follow the law, though not soon enough,” Jacobson said of the company’s plan to read electric meters on a monthly basis,” he took them to task over the proposed rate increase. “Central Hudson is applying for an increase, which is absurd. Given the service they’ve been giving, what…
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