A growing number of New York State Electric and Gas (NYSEG) customers have reported staggering increases in their electric bills this winter, with some seeing charges soar by double or even triple figures. This surge in energy costs has left many families struggling to understand the cause, with some residents expressing frustration over the sudden financial burden.
In response to mounting pressure from frustrated customers, New York State Assemblymember Paula Kay arranged a public meeting, held on February 27 at the Sullivan County Government Center, where NYSEG representatives addressed customer concerns.
Despite the company’s efforts to provide transparency, many customers walked away from the meeting unsatisfied. While NYSEG explained that the supply costs were causing the price hikes, many felt the explanations did not sufficiently address the impact on their day-to-day lives, with some questioning whether more could be done to mitigate the burden.
NYSEG, a subsidiary of the Spanish energy company Avangrid, has attributed these massive bill hikes to rising supply costs and the recent extreme cold temperatures. According to the company, while they manage the delivery and billing of electricity, the charges passed on to consumers are based on the costs they pay to energy suppliers. As such, fluctuations in the supply costs directly impact the amount that customers are charged.
Radio Catskill’s Patricio Robayo attended the meeting and brings us this report.
Image: NYSEG customers attend a public meeting with electric company officials and political representatives on February 27, 2025, at the Sullivan County Government Center. (Credit: Patricio Robayo)
You update the meters and expect to get paid back for the cost by jumping or skyrocketing electric costs.so much for ny electric lowering their rates is not in your vocabulary.Stop gouging the consumer and lower the electricbills.we are struggling for all bills not just you NYSEG.
My electric bill doubled. Why?
Everyone needs to sign the petition! I just listened to a recording of a NYSEG client speaking with an agent and what I heard is deeply concerning. Ever since I’ve received the smart meter my monthly charges have skyrocketed. Now to have it removed It’s going to cost $47 and then there’s a $13 monthly fee to offset the money NYSEG will be losing by not having the AMI smart meters on our houses.
NYSEG is deceptive by saying AMI smart meters provide a more accurate reading of electricity usage. The details NYSEG doesn’t give us are the meters read the circuit to each device plugged in. Meaning, even if no one is home all day or go on vacation, you have a portable space heater/ AC unit plugged in, the smart meter is reading the circuit knowing the space heater/ AC unit is plugged in and you’re being charged the maximum wattage as if it’s on. So unless we continuously unplug things we’re not using we’re being charged 24/7 the maximum amount we can be charged for each and every single device that’s plugged in! If this isn’t criminal then I don’t know what is!
Green energy costs more $/kwh. Cost more to manufacture, install, distribute longer distances. Reduce cost by using cheaper energy sources like fossil fuel or hydro. Back to basics. Energy is a driver of everything we need in our society.
Highway robbery tired of it mine has tripled
How are you suppose to survive on social security checks of 2000.00 a month when I have to pay 1400.00 a month for electric bill ? Car payment , car insurance takes the other 600.00 I’m 78 years old , am I not suppose to eat , but medicine, use the phone ,watch TV , use the internet ,ECT ? And then after all that I have to pay 500.00 to 700.00 for full oil . Look what this country does to their elderly , just disgusting !
I am in about the same situation.
I have 1600 month survivors benefits a month
New bill is 1500 .
How in the h am I supposed to pay this insane bill
The answer is fairly simple…. the elected officials that are “advocating for” (forcing an agenda upon) residents in NYS to become solely dependent on electricity as “their” energy of choice (debate aside on all other forms and their cost efficiency and efficacy to the customer). They’ve done so, without first building the infrastructure required to allow basic functioning of society so THAT said residents, ya know, don’t DIE (sounds morbid now, but recall how many deaths are reported during storms and the like when there is no power), let alone support actual usage that will be required when you really look at the numbers (think about your inconvenience factor when you can’t charge a phone, run a refrigerator or electric stove, or if you have a plug in car and whereveryou’ve gone doesn’t have a charging station). So THAT is actually a fairly massive undertaking from a footprint-wide level. And NYSEG was just the company that got the contract to BUILD said infrastructure. There are probably some incentives and funding from the former regime, but basically, that cost gets passed along to the consumers who then USE the electricity… providing has little to do with it (bc NYSEG, Verizon, National Grid etc all use the same poles and so on, mostly). So when someone in Albany says “no more gas A B C item” or “only solar” or “wind is your friend” or whatever thing they’re most incentivized by at the moment and you vote for them LIMITING YOUR PERSONAL CHOICE on what best suits YOUR needs? Just know this is the type of thing that results for EVERYONE.
I think you’re spot on!
Why are the supplier costs increasing?
When are we gonna stand up against these power companies. They need over watch because they just keep over charging I am not here to pay somebody’s retirement.
When your on a budget of 3000 a month you can’t afford high bills. You
have nyseg,rent,car payment, groceries
Dr bills, gas,medicine and other bills,
You don’t have any money for any thing else.
I’m disabled & on a fixed income. My NYSEG bill has more than tripled. I now owe around $900 for 2 months & was just sent a shutoff notice. The inflated & excessive amounts now charged by NYSEG should be considered CRIMINAL. Basically, they are monetarily assaulting/killing their customers- those of which have NO CHOICE but to use the company for basic necessities (heat & electric).
Our governor in New York Kathy Hochul is pushing the green, new deal Solar wind, etc. mandating we use electric for Buses, and in our homes, she wants to take away our gas, and no more fossil fuels I question the common sense of this Kathy, are you listening? We pay some of the highest electric rates in the nation these Electric and gas bills are crushing your voters. I hope you’re listening perhaps if you slow down your push for the great electric unification of New York.
They installed smart meters and my bill tripled. I believe the stupid things are geared wrong or they are trying to recover the cost by charging us.
I still have an old meter and i live in a 2 bedroom trailer by myself and used 1912 kw last month and us propane to heat with nway this is correct
I think it is disgusting to keep raising the price of electricity every month. I have changed none of my usage. I have no lights or electric items on all day. My heat is set to 72° and never changes. The smart rip off meter was installed 2 days ago. I am keeping track of it now and I have the reading from the old just before they changed it. I am waiting for the bill.
Yes, there are many factors going into this but one major one: “smart” meters. Besides being known fire and explosion hazards and causing devastating health problems, their implementation cost is footed by customers and the every 5-7 year replacement cost will raise rates in perpetuity. The workhorse analogs last 30, 40, 50, 60 years or more. We are supposed to be able to keep them in Rochester, NY, but unless you have a padlock on your meter box (which I recommend), RGE will stealth switch your meter and when you request reinstalling the analog (which the president/ceo guaranteed publicly), they will not. These utility companies have the same morals as all corporations. Sad.
Highway Robbery we have pellet stoves You don’t need a lot of electricity to run pellet stoves our electrical bill is usually $220 we just got one for $560 what the hell is going on 🤬
The most crooked and devious ways of billing. They go through great lengths to split the bill but if you have the money for gas but not the electric they still turn off both. What are they going to do as the frozen body count goes up?? Kids are freezing to death in the USA.
I did my research. Smart meters have caused increased cancer rates in California and the rates doubled there. The NYSEG crooks installed them after I said no. Then wanted to charge me to remove them. I won that battle and they removed them for free. Something needs to be done to push NYSEG out. They have stolen from us way too long….
Know this coming down 5 years ago can’t charge more for kw but psc let them put on delivery charge my delivery charge is more than usage
I have been struggling with National Grid in Upstate NY. Since November, my bill each month has gone up between 2 and 3 times what I paid in October. My home is very tiny, and I have propane for heat. I am trying to get the issue resolved, but it hasn’t been easy. Isn’t it funny though, they can find you when your bill is due. Next stop: the Public Service Commission What National Grid is doing is criminal
Senior citizens can barely survive. Why don’t you cut some of the corporate salaries? I bet supply and demand isn’t affecting you while some of us can barely buy food! You should be ashamed of yourselves.
We need to remove the democrats, starting with Governor Hockul, to rein in their liberal agenda including “green energy”. My electric bill has more than doubled and we are careful about turning off lights and monitoring other electric use. The above comment about smart meters was enlightening, and if true, we should reject the change NYSEG is doing. This “green energy” initiative is worldwide, and causing havoc in other countries with their economies. Do your research and say no to the democrats who want to get re-elected! Vote for a Republican, it’s time for a major change in leadership.