POUGHKEEPSIE, NY – Dutchess County Executive Sue Serino voiced strong opposition to Central Hudson’s latest proposed rate increase, calling on the New York State Public Service Commission (PSC) to reject the utility’s multi-year plan, which would raise gas and electric delivery rates over the next three years.
“I’ve said it before – at the heart of every decision we make should be the people we are elected to serve. The PSC must honor its mandate to ensure access to safe, reliable utility service at just and reasonable rates. These cost increases are neither just, nor reasonable,” said Dutchess County Executive Sue Serino. “Across Dutchess County, families are being stressed thinner than ever – trying to juggle rising costs while simply keeping the lights on. Yet this plan would ask them to pay even more, prioritizing expensive, state-driven climate mandates over the immediate needs of everyday residents and local employers.”
The proposal – outlined in a Joint Settlement filed earlier this month – is supported by the New York State Department of Public Service staff but still requires final approval from the PSC. The settlement would result in higher residential delivery rates over the next three years, with a small decrease for some low-income customers in the first year.
Serino has long expressed concern about utility rate increases being driven by costly climate policy mandates – charges that are often layered into customer bills without clear benefit to those footing the bill. Dutchess County has participated in the previous rate case proceedings, each time expressing concerns about the mandates driving up costs and objecting to the rate increases. Dutchess County declined to sign onto the Joint Proposal, continuing to cite those concerns.
“This proposal is unfair, unbalanced, and out of step with what our residents can afford,” Serino continued. “I urge the PSC to reject it and demand a better path forward – one that puts people first.”
Residents can review the documents relating to the Central Hudson rate case and submit public comments to the PSC online at the New York State Department of Public Service website: https://dps.ny.gov/pending-and-recent-electric-rate-cases.
