ConEd rate increases blasted at public forum

County Legislator Erika Pierce, who hosted the Aug. 19 event in her home district, welcomed everyone to the discussion and public comment. (Robert Cummings Photo)

By MARTIN WILBUR

Residents and elected officials condemned Con Edison for its requested double-digit rate increases during the Westchester County Board of Legislators’ latest public forum Tuesday evening in Mount Kisco.

Lawmakers listened to comments from more than a dozen speakers who castigated the utility for returning to the New York State Public Service Commission for what they characterized as an outlandishly excessive request after there were three rate hikes over the past two years. The PSC is accepting testimony from the public from around the state until November and will ultimately decide on any rate increase.

Legislator Erika Pierce, (D-District 2) said the board was holding these sessions specifically on the delivery charge, not the cost of the electricity, the only part of customers’ bills that it is allowed to make a profit under state law. Con Edison’s latest delivery charge request is 18% for electricity and 18.8% for gas, according to Pierce. If that is approved, then the effective rate increase would be 11.5% for electricity and 13.3% for gas, she said.

Westchester County has formally opposed the rate hike request to the PSC and has been joined by each of the county’s municipalities except Mount Kisco in its rate case before the commission. PSC representatives had attended the commission's two hearings in Westchester, but were not in attendance Tuesday at the Mount Kisco Public Library nor at any of the Board of Legislators forums. Con Edison has also rebuffed each invitionation, said board Chair Vedat Gashi. 

The key reasons the utility has given for the increases is to update neglected infrastructure, repairs from an increasing level of damage from storms and meeting the needs of big tech, which is using up power at a quickly accelerating rate to accommodate large data centers and burgeoning artificial intelligence.

County Legislators Erika Pierce and Board of Legislators Chairman Vidat Gashi, spoke with Local 1-2 Union President Frank Morales after the public comment information session. (Robert Cummings Photo)

“I think the idea is they come up with this outrageous number so they can negotiate it down to look like they are reasonable,” Pierce said after the forum. “But realize, really, at the end of the day, what they end up at is still too much, but it looks better because it’s in comparison to this gigantic number, which they never assumed they were going to get in the first place.”

Speakers repeatedly raised the unfairness of having delivery charges that are currently double to triple the cost of their electric and gas supply charges in some cases, and service that costs hundreds of dollars even if a customer doesn’t turn on air conditioning or raise their thermostat in winter. 

There were also repeated references to Con Edison CEO Timothy P. Cawley’s total compensation package exceeding $16 million and the utility’s boasts of increasing shareholder dividends for 46 consecutive years.

“We’re here tonight because of failed corporate leadership in which Hudson Valley families are being asked to pay the price,” said Ossining resident Kate Conley. “Where I come from — the Army — when you fail, you get fired, not bonuses, and what’s being asked for here, a double-digit rate increase, is not only unacceptable, it should lead to accountability.” 

Judy Sage of Mount Kisco was one of several people who spoke of how seniors and others on fixed or limited incomes are choosing whether to pay their utility bills or food and medicine. She has known people who decided against turning on their air conditioners this summer to limit their expenses. If allowed to continue, that could result in unwanted deaths.

“Mind you, the CEO has a guaranteed monopoly … and has no competition and is selling a product everyone must buy,” Sage said. “So maybe A.I. can do his job. This is close to mob-like and has nothing to do with free-market capitalism, an essential product in monopoly territory.”

To highlight the already sky-high rates that Con Edison customers are paying, North Castle Councilwoman Barbara DiGiacinto said her bill for service at home from Dec. 23, 2024, to Jan. 24, 2025, was $1,036.39 despite being away for two weeks and never turning the thermostat higher than 60 degrees.

Since Aug. 1, 2023, Con Edison has already received rate hikes totaling 14.7% for electricity and 21.7% for gas, she said.

“I think, as people have said, these rate hikes are hurting our seniors, it is unfair to our businesses, our mom-and-pops,” DiGiacinto said. “They have not recovered, our small businesses in Armonk have not recovered from COVID, and they have every single day, they have people buying online, and the rate hikes that are proposed for 2026, we’re going to see small businesses go out of business.”

Also taking Con Edison to task was Frank Morales, president of the Utility Workers of America Local 1-2, the 7,000-plus-member union that supplies utilities with its on-the-ground manpower in New York City and Westchester. Morales said Con Edison’s request is dubious because it includes IT upgrades that were similar to ones that were granted during the last rate hike but now routinely makes payroll errors.

The utility also wants another $18 million to install cameras in each of its vehicles, but the last time it did that the technology failed to improve driver safety or habits, he said.

As a customer, Morales feels the pain of the spiraling rates as well.

“They don’t have a blank check. But more importantly, tell Con Edison enough is enough, stop bleeding the ratepayers dry and fighting this every chance you get,” Morales told the legislators. “It’s disgusting.”

County lawmakers said they will vigorously fight Con Edison, as well as NYSEG, which is in the northeastern part of the county. Legislator Emiljana Ulaj, (D-District 9), called it “shameful.” Rates are likely to increase but the realistic plan is to limit them as much as possible, she said.

“This is not the time for the rate increase ConEd’s asking for,” Ulaj said. “Our constituents have said they can’t afford it — period — and we know there are areas where (Con Ed) can make cuts to give us a more reasonable rate that people can afford.”

Legislator Nancy Barr, (D-District 6), said how rates are granted must change.

“What really needs to happen, ultimately, is we need the state laws to change,” Barr said. “So the system, the way the system works must change because it’s not working this way.”

Gashi said the Board of Legislators is expected to schedule additional forums this fall.