Take Action Now: Stop ConEd Rate Hikes

New York electric and gas bills are already some of the highest in the country. It is absolutely inexcusable to approve a rate hike that would increase the cost burden on New Yorkers across the state when the company already makes billions in revenue. The monopoly Con Ed has on New York City delivery upcharges consumers while hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers struggle to pay their bills or even have their utilities shut off as a result. Energy is a human right and an absolute necessity. Hard working New Yorkers shouldn’t have to decide between a doctor’s visit or keeping the lights on. It is absolutely inexcusable to approve a rate hike that would increase the cost burden on New Yorkers across the state when the company already makes billions in revenue. Hard working New Yorkers shouldn’t have to decide between a doctor’s visit or keeping the lights on. With the worsening effects of climate change, summer heatwaves are becoming worse and more frequent, making summertime cooling essential for vulnerable populations. Due to the high cost of energy nearly 20% of New Yorkers who own air conditioners can’t afford to run them because of the financial burden to do so. In the face of the climate crisis, Con Ed continues to perpetuate our state’s dependence on fossil fuels by advocating for infrastructure like gas pipelines that would increase the cost burden on New York consumers and fail to adequately address the peak energy demands of our state and city. They might claim this hike would fund clean energy investments but these are in bad faith as they continue to advocate for additional pipeline infrastructure that is unwarranted and unnecessary. It is abhorrent that Con Ed would dare to request a rate hike when failing to commit to transitioning away from fossil fuels completely, in accordance with our own state’s goals of being net zero by 2030. 30% of New Yorkers struggle to pay their energy bill and these rate hikes would only increase the cost for folks to stay cool in the summer, and warm in the winter. The proposed rate hikes for electric and gas would cost New Yorkers $30-$50 more per month and has drawn widespread criticism from elected officials across the board. That is why the New York Public Service Commission should outright reject the proposed rate hikes for electric and gas from Con Ed.