Join Rochester for Energy Democracy (R.E.D.) Opposing RG&E's Proposed Rate Hike!

NEW! Copy This Sample Comment into this comment form, and fill out your information by the Deadline of end of the Day Friday October 24! 

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• If you have a moment, in the field "Associate this comment with other matters/cases" Click "Add" and enter the numbers: 25-E-0379, 25-E-0375, 25-G-0378, one at a time, clicking "Add" between each and then "Done"
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The greed just doesn’t stop. In May 2025, the last installment of RGE's PREVIOUS 34% rate hike went into effect. Despite the recent audit showing gross mismanagement, safety violations, and that RG&E and its multinational owners can not be trusted with our money, they are now, immediately after their last increase, asking for ANOTHER 34%[1] increase. The audit also showed that it’s unclear where money is going within the company or between the various utility companies that Avangrid owns. Even with the results of that audit, they have the audacity to say we should also raise their rate of profit AGAIN, this time to 10%, even while experts claim that utility profits should be closer to 6%! RG&E/NYSEG also want to close the walk-in center on South Clinton, and 4 other offices (Sodus, Oneonta, Ithaca, Auburn) in their territory. 

Rochester says ENOUGH! No Rate Hikes, No RG&E! DROP the Hikes, FUND the Study! 

To stop these hikes, we'll need an outpouring of comments to the Public Service Commission, which is the body, appointed by the Governor, who "regulates" utilities and makes these decisions. We'll also need to get LOUD in the streets! 

As a first step, fill out a public comment opposing the rate increase here (for electric) or here (for gas), sharing your experience and how this hike would affect you! 

The Public Service Commission (PSC) will also be holding virtual public statement hearings on:

• Tuesday Oct 21st at 1pm or 6pm 
• You must pre-register by Friday Oct 17 to make a statement at a virtual hearing, but not at an in-person hearing. For information on how to register & attend the virtual public statement hearings (by video or phone, or to leave a comment on the Public Service Commission phone line), click HERE. Comments at hearings limited to 5 min. 

Please spread the word - We need to DROP the Hikes, STOP Shut offs, Public Power Now! 

Want to do more? Come to a movement assembly about how we can organize against the rate hikes on November 8, 1-4pm, to plug into and help plan a public action against the hikes in early Dec! 

HERE is a guide from Metro Justice on commenting.  

For reference: This is a detailed speaking guideline and guide to the rate case from the Climate Solutions Accelerator. This is the public release from the Public Service Commission on the rate hike request. You can also look at a Reddit AMA with the Accelerator and Metro Justice. For written comments, you can attach and cite other documents, should you wish. 

More information: 
These new hikes, if approved, would result in a $623 increase to the average household gas and electric bill and, using ACEEE numbers, put 50,000 more RG&E customers in energy poverty. With a median income of ~$46K, this means more than half of Rochester households would be at risk (meaning energy exceeds 6% of income). Throughout this all, they continue to chronically misbill us, neglect grid maintenance, and use our money to expand fossil fuel infrastructure.

It’s clear that RG&E can’t be trusted with our money, why would we give them one cent more? We don’t need to be in this constant cycle. If RG&E is successful in raising our rates AGAIN, Adam Bello and Malik Evans, who have so far been able to block even the common sense step of investigating an alternative, are to blame. Drop the Hikes, Fund the Study!

Rochester ALREADY has the 3rd highest energy burden in the country, and shut off over 13,000 homes and businesses in 2024. And already, 44% of Black and Latino Rochester residents pay between 6-25% of their income for energy. Any increase poses and unacceptable rise in energy burden and shut off risks, and must be stopped. 

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[1] 36% increase in electricity delivery and 32% in gas delivery