As Utility Bills Soar, New Yorkers Face the Cost of a Greener Future
The New York Times
The utility that serves New York City and Westchester County has filed a request to raise its rates to help pay for the shift to cleaner energy, sparking dismay among residents.
When New Yorkers get a sky-high energy bill, many turn to social media and vent their frustrations on Instagram, TikTok or Reddit. Recently, their rage has been directed toward a state-run website, too.
In January, the Department of Public Service, which regulates utilities, began considering a request for a rate increase by Con Edison, the energy company that serves over nine million people in New York City and Westchester County.
The proposed increase would “support clean energy investments needed to build and maintain the grid of the future,” Con Edison said in a statement. But that was cold comfort to the New Yorkers who submitted about 800 mostly irate comments on the government website in February alone.
“Our ConEd bill has already spiked to over $500 for a 1 BEDROOM Apartment this January to February,” wrote one typical customer. “Please do something about this and vote no more increases!”
The backlash to the proposed rates — which called for an 11.4 percent increase for electricity and 13.3 percent for gas — illustrated what could be a thorny issue for decades to come: persuading New Yorkers to absorb some of the cost of the state’s transition to green energy.
Many utility customers are in favor of upgrading the power grid in pursuit of the state’s renewable energy goals, but many also appear to be balking at paying more.
