FOLLOWING RECOMMENDED DECISION IN CENTRAL HUDSON RATE CASE, CONGRESSMAN PAT RYAN AGAIN DEMANDS THAT THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION DENY ANY RATE INCREASE, HOLD ADDITIONAL PUBLIC HEARINGS

Following Recommended Decision in Central Hudson Rate Case, Congressman Pat Ryan Again Demands That the Public Service Commission Deny Any Rate Increase, Hold Additional Public Hearings  

Central Hudson entered into litigation with the PSC over its rate case in January; yesterday, the Administrative Law Judges assigned to the case recommended a partial rate increase.

Ryan has repeatedly called on PSC to deny the rate increase in light of Central Hudson’s billing issues

WASHINGTON, DC  – Today, Congressman Pat Ryan once again called on the New York Public Service Commission (PSC) to reject Central Hudson’s petition for a utility rate increase, following the Administrative Law Judges’ recommendation that the PSC grant a rate hike in the ongoing case. The judges’ recommended decision, if approved by the commission, would allow Central Hudson to increase electric delivery revenue by 16.7% and gas delivery revenue by 21.8%, according to an analysis by the Public Utility Law Project (PULP). The proposal awaits a final decision by the PSC later this year. 

“This rate hike is outrageous, and if approved, would have a devastating impact on Hudson Valley families who continue to struggle with the fallout of Central Hudson’s billing issues,” said Congressman Pat Ryan. “I’m again calling on the PSC to reject this exorbitant rate increase and hold public hearings on the recommended decision so that Central Hudson customers can make their voices heard before any final decision is made. We need real accountability and relief, not another corporate handout.”

On January 24, 2024, Central Hudson entered into litigation with the PSC over its petition to increase electric delivery revenue by 27.5% and gas delivery revenue by 33.2%. Yesterday, the Administrative Law Judges assigned to the case announced their recommendation that the PSC grant partial delivery revenue increases of 16.7% for electric operations and 21.8% for gas operations, according to PULP’s analysis. The PSC has not announced public hearings on the recommended decision ahead of its final vote, which is expected later this year. 

Congressman Ryan has made repeated calls for Central Hudson’s rate increase request to be rejected until its billing systems are fully fixed and every customer that was wronged is made whole. Central Hudson hosted multiple public comment hearings on its rate increase proposal and in January, Congressman Ryan organized his own hearing with local elected officials and Central Hudson customers to demand the rate increase be rejected.

Since Congressman Ryan’s calls for an investigation into Central Hudson’s disastrous billing practices, he has received more than 11,000 formal complaints. A New York State Department of Public Service report revealed that Central Hudson’s billing system was riddled with hundreds of programming errors. This led to nearly 5,000 customers not receiving their bills, 8,000 customers being overcharged, and more than 30,000 customers whose autopay was billed incorrectly, costing them over $16 million.

Central Hudson replaced its CEO following Representative Ryan’s calls for his resignation on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives. Ryan has held a series of workshops connecting Central Hudson customers in NY-18 with company representatives to resolve billing issues, to establish accountability, and to rebuild trust.

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