National Grid Wants to Raise New Yorkers' Natural Gas Rates by 17%

National Grid, the natural gas and electric utility giant, has proposed gas rate hikes of 17% for its New York City residential customers and 16% for Long Islanders, with the company blaming inflationary costs and government green-energy requirements, The New York Post reports.

That means the typical bill for residents in Brooklyn, Staten Island and Queens would jump by $30.95 per month, National Grid estimated. The average customer on Long Island and the Rockaway Peninsula could see a bill increase of about $28.52 a month.

“Approximately 70% of the proposal is driven by federal and state safety mandates, as well as increased property taxes and the costs to deliver expanded energy efficiency and other demand reduction offerings necessary to meet state climate targets,” National Grid NY Vice President Philip De Cicco said in a release defending the increase.

National Grid’s proposed rate hikes were greeted with scorn by consumer advocates, including the Public Utility Law Project, which noted that the other city utility provider, Con Edison, previously proposed its own double digit rate hikes that also are under state review — 12% over three years for residential electric customers and 20% for natural-gas customers.

The state Public Service Commission — whose members are appointed by Gov. Kathy Hochul — will hold hearings before voting on whether to approve the rate hike or something less, likely early next year.

The proposed rate hikes, if approved, would start taking effect April 1, 2024.