Two million National Grid customers in New York City and Long Island could see their monthly bills increase by roughly $30 under a rate hike proposed by the utility company.
The multibillion-dollar international utility said it needs the money to comply with federal and state safety mandates and climate laws. The state’s Public Service Commission, which regulates utilities, is reviewing National Grid’s proposed hike and will determine how much rates will go up and how they will be phased in. National Grid’s proposal would result in a 17% increase in local revenue.
Customers and environmental groups said that’s too much money to invest in a system that should be phased out. The state’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act sets a 2040 deadline to completely transition the grid to emissions-free energy sources.
“It’s an incredible rate hike,” said Kim Fraczek, director of the environmental group Sane Energy Project. “They’re asking for an astronomical amount of money from us to continue infrastructure that will be burning gas into the 2080s. We also can’t afford that financially. And we can’t afford that for our climate.”
Last year, the natural gas provider received approval on rate hikes for upstate customers over the next three years. The increases, which National Grid justified by citing the cost of compliance with climate laws, add up to around a couple of dollars more per month. In 2021, the utility also was approved for a rate hike for the controversial Brooklyn pipeline, which resulted in a $5 monthly increase for Brooklyn customers.
“Our rate proposal includes an array of critical investments that will allow us to meet New York’s clean energy goals while continuing to build a more reliable and safer energy system that all our customers can depend on,” National Grid spokesperson Karen Young said via email.
If approved, the rate hike would be phased in over a three- or four-year period. National Grid said it will use the funds to…
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