![]() “To just be working through hundreds of miles of pipe that are not actively leaking and remaining functional at a time when the scoping plan is saying we need a well-planned and strategic downsizing of the system - and we are about to go through those planning exercises - we just think it’s a really big mistake,” said Chris Casey, a senior attorney with the nonprofit Natural Resources Defense Council, which supported the aspects of the Con Ed proposal related to electric service, but opposed those related to gas. Still, some are concerned about the possibility of prolonging the life of fossil-fuel infrastructure. In some instances, the utility would figure out whether a gas main could be eliminated instead of replaced if it serves a “small number” of customers that “are easy to electrify,” according to the proposal.Ĭon Ed allowed for a change in tack if the state required a different approach. On the gas side, the plan includes a commitment to survey the entire pipe network by the end of 2025 to find leaks, as well as incentives to encourage quick response times to customer calls about gas leaks or odors.Ĭon Ed, which has 8,000 miles of gas pipes, committed to removing 240 miles of leak-prone gas pipes and 12 miles of flood-prone pipes. ![]() While state law prohibits the utility company from profiting off the energy it provides, it is allowed to make money on investments in the system. Rather, the hikes are to cover maintenance of and investments in its infrastructure that delivers the energy. ![]() The increased rates do not pay for the supply of electricity or gas, which Con Ed must sell at-cost to customers. Over a year-long period of negotiations, Con Ed, the DPS - which regulates utility companies - and representatives for consumer groups, environmental organizations and energy companies negotiated down from that original request. “The agreement will be subject to public review and comment before the PSC makes its final decision, possibly sometime in the second quarter of the year,” DPS spokesperson James Denn said in a statement.ĪLSO READ | Why Upper East Siders are Being Hit with Sky High Con Ed Bills This Month What Do the Hikes Pay For?Ĭon Ed first submitted a proposal for a steeper rate increase to the PSC in January 2022. The nonprofit group estimated that electric residential customers would initially see their monthly bills rise about $6 in June, while gas residential customers would pay $14 more.Ĭustomers will have some opportunities to weigh in on the proposed hike. “The projected rate increase will be far too high for New Yorkers,” said Laurie Wheelock, executive director of the Public Utility Law Project of New York (PULP). While some of the investments Con Ed envisions may help advance the city’s transition to a greener future, environmental advocates contend that other proposals may further entrench fossil fuel dependency.Ĭoncerns abound, too, as to whether New Yorkers can afford the new rates. They call for widespread electrification to decrease the state economy’s reliance on fossil fuels. The guidelines to achieve those mandates, known as the “scoping plan,” were released in December. The state’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA) of 2019 mandates that New York must get 70% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030, and achieve a zero-emissions electric grid a decade after that. “Con Edison is building an energy system to meet New York’s climate goals, while strengthening the safety, reliability, and resilience of our service, and this investment is critical to meet those goals,” said Con Ed spokesperson Allan Drury in an emailed statement. If the state Public Service Commission (PSC) approves the proposal, the average bill would rise about 12% over three years for residential electric customers in all five boroughs and Westchester, and over 20% over three years for residential gas customers in The Bronx, Manhattan and northern Queens. Under a preliminary agreement struck last week between the state Department of Public Service, Con Ed and other stakeholders, the utility company would be able to increase its prices to pay for programs and infrastructure needed to deliver electricity and gas. This article was originally published on Feb 23 5:05am EST by THE CITYĬon Edison customers, your bill might go up again soon. ![]()
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