ALBANY - Assemblyman John Lemondes (R,C–LaFayette) attended a press conference this week to call out Gov. Kathy Hochul and her appointed Public Service Commission (PSC) for approving record-high utility rate increases across the state. Since 2019, residential electricity prices have risen by an unprecedented 47.1%. These increases were felt even more during recent winter storms, which drove energy prices to historic highs and forced working families to choose between staying warm and making ends meet.

Many of these rate hikes can be directly attributed to Albany Democrats’ aggressive climate mandates. These include the impending natural gas ban in new residential construction and the electric school bus mandate, both of which will continue to strain the energy grid while driving up costs for consumers. The New York Independent System Operator (NYISO) has already raised serious concerns about grid reliability in the near future, and these mandates will only make matters worse.

On top of these mandates, working families are footing the bill through added energy surcharges on their utility statements to fund clean energy initiatives under the PSC’s Clean Energy Fund, which currently holds an estimated $2.4 billion.

Lemondes and his colleagues in the state Assembly are proposing several solutions aimed at lowering utility costs and stopping these mandates in their tracks. These include:

• Requiring any surplus or uncommitted funds in the Clean Energy Fund to be returned to taxpayers.

• Providing income-based rebate checks of up to $400 for utility ratepayers.

• Requiring utilities and municipal energy suppliers to notify customers when supply rates rise at least 40% month over month, along with information on available bill assistance programs.

• Eliminating unreasonable mandates and protecting energy choice.

• Instituting a true all-of-the-above energy strategy, including expanded pipelines, natural gas, nuclear, renewables and other advanced technologies to ensure affordable, reliable power.

Lemondes believes these proposals would deliver immediate and meaningful relief for New Yorkers without overloading the state’s energy grid.

“For working families across our state, opening a utility bill has become something to dread rather than a routine,” said Lemondes. “While Kathy Hochul continues to point fingers and pass the buck, her appointed Public Service Commission is blindly signing off on increases that are bankrupting ratepayers. Paying half your mortgage just to keep your family warm during a snowstorm should be unthinkable, yet this governor refuses to take responsibility. New Yorkers deserve real solutions centered on choice and flexibility, not unrealistic mandates from faceless bureaucrats and Albany’s one-party rule.”

John Lemondes is the Republican and Conservative Assemblyman for the 126th Assembly seat, which consists of parts of Cayuga and Onondaga counties. For more information, please visit his website.

- Information from the Office of Rep. John Lemondes