Dominick Venuti knows companies need to make money but tonight he asked Public Service Commission Administrative Judge David Prestemon "how much was enough" for NYSEG. Venuti says NYSEG's proposed delivery rate hikes could increase his bills by more than a thousand dollars a year - money he can't afford.
"I always thought it was high to begin with and then when I read the paper and saw they were going for another increase - I said that's crazy," said Venuti after attending a Public Service Commission open meeting about the proposed rate change.
NYSEG says they need to increase electric delivery revenue by 32% and natural gas revenue by 29.5%. If NYSEG's proposed rates go through, a typical customer's electric bill would go up about $150 each year and natural gas bills would go up about $300 a year. NYSEG says its delivery rates haven't increased since 1996 but their costs have. Gene Fontana attended the meeting and said he doubts the higher rates are a good idea. He works for NYSEG but is concerned about the high taxes many upstate neighbors are already dealing with.
"Many businesses choose to leave because it's a poor economic climate and this I think can only exacerbate that problem," said Fontana.
New York State's Department of Public Service believes natural gas prices should stay flat and electric bills should only go up about two dollars a month.
Administrative Judge Prestemon answered questions about NYSEG's billing, workforce and infrastructure needs at the meeting. He doesn't have the final say but said NYSEG had relenting on some of the hikes in the latest negotiations with the state.
"A lot of that has gone away," said Prestemon. "Roughly half I'd say."
Prestemon says one of the reasons NYSEG is pushing for higher rates is that energy usage is down statewide. That may be good news for the environment but it also means less money for NYSEG's bottom line.
"Here we are going green and being penalized for it!" said a laughing Venuti after the meeting.
The Public Service Commission has the final say on any rate increase. The PSC will continue to gather information until July 31st. If there is a rate hike it would not take effect until September 25th.
