BUFFALO, N.Y. — It doesn’t matter who your provider is — if you live in Western New York, changes are coming to your electric bill.
Some changes you may have been preparing for. But others, you probably weren’t.
On Tuesday evening, customers of National Grid and NYSEG got the chance to speak at two separate meetings across Western New York to call on their providers for answers on why their bills already have or will soon increase.
Yolanda Wyatt is a National Grid customer and is living on a fixed income due to a disability.
National Grid has a rate hike proposal currently before the State Public Service Commission with the goal of raising rates by 15%.
It’s a small increase for some, but one Wyatt said could have a much larger impact than just her monthly bill.
“When you're only bringing home a fixed income amount of $2,000 or less, $20 is a considerable amount,” she said. “The rate increase added onto everything else that's been increased in my life, I could be homeless.”
Across town, James Lenahan, a NYSEG customer, also has concerns, but his situation is a little different. He says his bills are three times what they used to be, but he hasn’t changed his consumption at all.
“It just seems like if you want to get some answer from somebody, it just doesn't seem to be able to come to us,” he said.
Many other NYSEG customers like Lenahan have brought similar concerns to the attention of 2 On Your Side. It prompted NYSEG to hold meetings this week where customers can meet directly with representatives to discuss their bills.
A NYSEG spokesperson said the bill hikes could be due to factors like warm summer weather but that it varies from person to person.
“There's a lot of things that influence a customer's bill,” said Christopher Knospe with NYSEG. “Everything is handled on a customer-by-customer basis. Not everything is always the same.”
Both companies hoped to provide transparency with the meetings on Tuesday, but the customers 2 On Your Side spoke with said they left feeling more concerned. Many at the NYSEG meeting said they had to wait for over an hour to meet with a representative.
National Grid will be accepting public comments until February, and the new rates will go into effect in the spring. NYSEG will hold two more customer meetings on Wednesday — one from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. at the Depew Municipal Building and the other from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the Alden Municipal Building.
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