Harckham Urges Residents to Speak Out Against NYSEG Rate Hikes

Peekskill, NY - New York State Senator Pete Harckham urged residents today to join him in opposing the proposed New York State Electric & Gas (NYSEG) utility rate hikes during the ongoing state Public Service Commission (PSC) public comment period.

“I am strongly opposed to these outrageous rate increases that come at a time when families throughout Westchester, Putnam and Rockland counties are struggling to make ends meet,” Harckham said. “I urge NYSEG customers to submit their written comments in opposition to the rate hikes. The PSC needs to hear our voices loud and clear, speaking out against a serious financial burden for working families, seniors and the poor.”

To view a video about Harckham’s opposition to the NYSEG rate increases, click here.

On June 30, the utility filed a rate hike request with the PSC that proposes to increase delivery rates by rates by 35 % for electricity customers and 39.4 % for natural gas customers. If approved, the new rates would take effect on May 1, 2026.

The rate hike proposals come after a winter in which NYSEG customers were slammed with huge utility bills, some exceeding the thousand-dollar mark. Harckham said his offices in Peekskill and Albany were jammed with telephone calls and emails from residents who could not afford to pay such bills.

He said that there are already more than 1.2 million utility customers in arrears in New York, owing almost $2 billion, and that the higher rates would only push more families into debt that they are unable to pay. 

Harckham said that NYSEG has also requested a 10 % rate of return on equity as part of its proposal. “Utilities are the only part of our economy where monopoly is guaranteed a rate of return,” he said. “This has got to stop. Shareholders have to feel some of the pain as well.”

The rate increase, if approved, would generate an expected total of $557.4 billion in additional annual revenues that the company has said will mostly go to replacing aging equipment and infrastructure.

Harckham said, “It is unacceptable to place the expense of underinvestment solely on the backs of those who can least afford it. The last thing we need are more financial burdens for folks struggling to make ends meet.”

Comments can be submitted to the PSC by visiting the agency’s website at dps.ny.gov, clicking on the “post comments” link and entering 25-E-0375 for electric and 25-G-0378 for gas in the search box.