NY officials rally alongside Westchester residents against Con Ed's proposed rate hikes

Con Edison wasn’t getting any Valentine’s Day greetings from Westchester County lawmakers on Friday after the utility company announced it would seek approval from the NY Public Service Commission for a substantial rate increase on gas and electricity bills in 2026.

The energy provider said in a statement Jan. 31 that it is seeking to increase customers' electric bills by 11.4% and gas bills by 13.3%.

State Sen. Shelley B. Mayer led the "No Love for Con Edison" rally at noon Friday, Feb. 14, at the Westchester County Center, where several other state senators, assemblymembers and Westchester County legislators and municipal leaders were present to call on the New York State Public Service Commission to oppose the rate increase.

Congressmembers, local officials and residents stood in front of the room with signs that said “Con Ed profits, people freeze.” 

Westchester residents attending the rally were not shy about their disdain for the proposed hikes. Locals arrived at the Westchester County Center with proof of their bills in hand. Many were over $1,000, showing high delivery fees of over $500 dollars with significantly lower usage fees.

Westchester resident Lucia Alfano is a nurse and a single mother of two. She said some of her patients can’t even afford $100 per week for medications, let alone pay their utility bills.

“My patients need their medications to survive,” she said. “Many of them are choosing to pay their Con Ed bill over their meds.”

Many of the events' speakers agreed with Alfano's sentiments and acknowledged the challenge many low and middle-income residents face when having to prioritize where their paychecks go.

“People on fixed incomes cannot afford to eat and stay warm at the same time,” said State Assemblywoman Mary Jane Shimsky.

Joel Wurzler, a Hartsdale resident, said the issue of high delivery fees is not new. He created a petition in 2019 to urge Con Edison to lower their delivery charges and change how they are calculated.

Wurzler said many families, such as his own, are spending upwards of half their income just on their utility bill.

His solution? "We need to transform utilities into a public service, not a private entity," Wurzler said.

Wurzler's change.org petition has resurfaced since the Jan. 31 announcement and has gained over 17,000 signatures as of Friday.

“We don’t mind paying our bills,” said State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart Cousins. “But we do mind having to pay outrageous compensation for our utilities.”

What's in the Con Ed proposal to raise rates?

Con Ed's proposed the rate hikes in order to fund new infrastructure investments that would "help the company maintain its nation-leading reliable electric service and continue fortifying its energy systems, as extreme weather events become more frequent and severe," according to the company's Jan. 31 statement.

The utility company, which serves over 9 million people in Westchester County and New York City, said the plan, aims to invest $21 billion over three years.

“Con Edison is putting corporate profits over the people of NY,” said State Senator Robert Jackson (D-Manhattan). “This is not just a rate hike, this is an attack on people struggling. Heat and electricity are not luxuries, they’re lifelines” he said.

Among the proposed new investments are programs to reduce methane from gas systems, fortifying power grids to prevent outages as more extreme weather events affect the area and increasing customer service staff for faster assistance.

However, the energy provider estimated it would require at least $1.6 billion more in electric revenue and $440 million in gas revenue to meet their goals, leading to the proposed rate increases.

If the plan is approved, the bill increase will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2026.

NY Gov. Hochul, lawmakers criticize Con Edison plan to hike rates

The proposal has been met with numerous criticisms from Gov. Kathy Hochul and other lawmakers, including State Sen. Pete Harckham (D-Peekskill) and Congressman Mike Lawler (R-17)

Hochul said in a statement Tuesday that she sent a letter to the New York State Public Service Commission urging them to reject the proposal and reconsider raising rates at a lower price.

“The cost of living is too damn high and New Yorkers need more money in their pockets,” Hochul said in the statement. However, Mayer says Hochul’s proposition to reduce the rate hike is not good enough. “We need to change the way PSC determines utility rates” 

Con Edison said part of the new funding proposal will also go to its Energy Affordability Program, which the company said provided over $300 million in bill discounts to low and moderate-income families in 2024.

"Keep calling the governor, write letters to the PSC and Con Edison," Mayer and her legislative colleagues urged constituents. "Don’t let up and keep putting pressure on them”