Hearings this week on National Grid's 21% rate hike plan

Most ratepayers during a state-run online forum Tuesday weighed in against a proposed 21% natural gas bill increase next year by National Grid.

On Long Island, where National Grid has 611,000 customers, the average ratepayer would see a $34.66 bill increase. Those with higher usage and commercial customers would see proportionately higher bills.

The state Public Service Commission, which is scrutinizing the proposed April rate hike, held its first set of online hearings on Tuesday. National Grid initially said the increase would amount to a 16% jump, but it updated the figure to 21% in subsequent filings. National Grid said recent reductions in commodity gas prices could offset the increases by $6 to $7 a month.

Merrick ratepayer Fred Harrison said National Grid should not be allowed to increase customer rates, but it also should enact a rate reduction.

"This is astounding for lots of reasons," said Harrison, a member of activist group Food & Water Watch, who encouraged the company to "wind down their activities and actually reduce" rates.

"I ask and hope that the PSC will deny any rate increase until National Grid can show very clearly a plan to wind itself down and put an end to the damage that it's done," he said.

Several ratepayers on the conference call took exception to National Grid's using the rate increases to fortify its infrastructure, saying the company should instead be investing to reduce fossil-fuel use. "There is nothing safe or reliable about natural gas," said Zoe Kaplan-Lewis, a Brooklyn resident and a volunteer for climate activist group 350Brooklyn.

But David Manning, an Islip ratepayer and the director of stakeholder relations for Brookhaven Science Associates, which operates Brookhaven National Laboratory, praised National Grid for its "highly reliable service" and said the company's efforts to upgrade its systems and invest in renewable gas and hydrogen technologies "will be critical" to Long Island's energy future. "They are at the forefront of all those efforts," said Manning, a former executive vice president for National Grid.

In a filing, National Grid said the increases would allow it to raise $272 million in new revenue for the Long Island and Rockaways service area, funds that would be used to "help drive down emissions, strengthen the safe delivery of energy, increase energy efficiency offerings, and other programs to help customers reduce natural gas usage and support connecting renewable energy projects to the network."

The company said the increases also would help cover costs of adopting "new technology to provide more self-service options, increase the number of consumer advocates to assist the most vulnerable customers [and] eliminate credit card fees for residential bill payments — providing immediate savings."

Some ratepayers expressed opposition to the increase in advance of the hearing.

"I strongly object to yet another significant price increase in our monthly energy bills," Hempstead resident Nick Rosenberg wrote on the PSC's public comment site. "It's yet another attack on residents' ability to pay their monthly bills coming at an unfortunate time of high costs and slowing economy. Most people would prefer to keep the [$34] projected monthly price increase in their pockets to feed and clothe their families."

Andrew Saavedra, a legal aide at the Public Utility Law Project of NY, which advocates for low- and fixed-income ratepayers in the state, said the increases proposed by National Grid were "completely unaffordable" by the ratepayers. PULP provided figures showing that some 56,283 Long Island customers were 60 days or more in arrears on their gas bills, amounting to more than $56 million, a 59.3% increase since February. "The affordability crisis is still ongoing," he said.

National Grid also is seeking increases for its New York City customers, who would see a 21% monthly increase, or $33.86 a month, if the hike is approved by the PSC. That increase would allow the company to raise $450 million in revenue during the hike period.

The online hearings started Tuesday at 1 p.m., with a second hearing at 6 p.m. Two online hearings are also scheduled for the same time Wednesday. Information about the increase and accessing the hearings can be found at nationalgridus.com/Rate-Case-2023-LI. Customers must register in advance if they plan to speak at the hearings.

By Mark Harrington

mark.harrington@newsday.comMHarringtonNews

Mark Harrington, a Newsday reporter since 1999, covers energy, wineries, Indian affairs and fisheries.