New York State Officials Expand NYSEG Billing Investigation

HUDSON VALLEY, NY — The New York State Department of Public Service has expanded its investigation into New York State Electric & Gas Corp. over potential mismanagement of its billing systems and protocols.

The investigation comes as the state's Public Service Commission is considering NYSEG's request for a big rate hike. SEE: Local Leaders Oppose NYSEG's Proposed 31% Electricity Rate Increase. NYSEG requested that a public hearing on the matter be postponed; it is now set for March 6.

NYSEG's service area includes much of the Hudson Valley, including most of Putnam County and parts of Dutchess, Orange and Westchester counties.

The PSC is also investigating Rochester Gas & Electric Corp. for the same reason.

In 2022, the number of consumer complaints against NYSEG and RG&E soared to more than 4,700, 60 percent more than the two previous years combined, state officials said.

The problems with the two utilities’ billing systems became apparent when the department began to see a significant spike in the number of complaints from customers. The complaints received by the department range from incorrect bills being sent to consumers or very late bills being sent, officials said.

Department staff commenced a review — and an investigation, related to a September 2022 change to the companies’ customer information and billing system.

"Ensuring customer bills are accurate is the singular responsibility of the utility, and this expanded investigation of RG&E and NYSEG will determine what went wrong and how will it be resolved,” said department CEO Rory M. Christian. “Our bottom line is simple: we hold utilities accountable for any billing errors and we will require the companies to hold customers harmless."

As part of the investigation, the department will host a series of public forums in affected areas starting in January to hear consumer concerns first-hand.

Meanwhile, customers who are experiencing problems with utility bills should follow the normal consumer complaint process. First, contact your utility for resolution — and if unable to get a satisfactory resolution, contact the Department’s Office of Consumer Services to file a complaint.

Also, New York has comprehensive protections for residential customers. These rights include the option to pay utility bills in installments, a cap on late fees, sufficient notice before services are shut off, and protections for those on a fixed income or with medical conditions. Learn about these from the Department of Public Service website.

NYSEG, a subsidiary of AVANGRID, serves 907,336 electric customers and 270,204 natural gas customers across more than 40 percent of New York outside New York City. RG&E, also a subsidiary of AVANGRID, serves approximately 385,925 electric customers and 319,737 natural gas customers in a nine-county region centered in the City of Rochester, Monroe County.