ALBANY, NY — The New York State Public Service Commission (Commission) announced today that it will hold public statement hearings on the terms of a Joint Proposal for a two-year electric and three-year gas rate plan for Orange and Rockland Utilities, Inc. (O&R).  The Joint Proposal was filed on June 5, 2015, by O&R, Department of Public Service Staff and five other parties, to resolve all issued raised concerning the Company’s initial November 14, 2014 rate increase request.

Under the terms of the Joint Proposal, O&R would increase its delivery revenues from electric customers by $9.3 million in the rate year beginning November 1, 2015, by an additional $8.8 million in the rate year beginning November 1, 2016.  In the first rate year, the rate increase would be approximately $1.85 per month (or 1.4 percent) for a typical residential customer using an average of 677 kilowatt hours (kWh) per month.  In the second rate year, the electric rate increase would be approximately $2.42 per month (or 1.8 percent) for a typical residential customer.

For O&R gas customers, the delivery revenue increases under the proposed rate plan are $16.4 million in each of the rate years beginning November 1, 2015, November 1, 2016, and November 1, 2017.  The bill increase in rate year one would be approximately $10.63 per month (or 7.3 percent), for a typical residential heating customer using 1340 ccf annually.  In year two, the bill increase would be approximately $10.78 per month (or 6.9 percent) for a typical residential customer.  For year three, the total bill increase would be approximately $9.80 per month (or 5.9 percent) for a typical residential customer.

The Commission may accept, reject or modify the terms of the Joint Proposal in whole or in part.

The O&R filing, the JP and other materials pertaining to this case can be obtained from the Commission’s website, www.dps.ny.gov, by clicking on “Search” on the homepage and entering “14-E-0493” or “14-G-0494” in the “Search by Case Number” field. 

Public Statement Hearing

The public will have an opportunity to present comments at hearings before an Administrative Law Judge assigned by the Department to hear this case.  A verbatim transcript of the hearings will be made for inclusion in the record of the proceeding.

The public statement hearings will be held as follows:

TUESDAY, JUNE 30, 2015

Orange County Emergency Services Center

Auditorium

22 Wells Farm Road

Goshen, NY  10924

Afternoon Public Statement Hearing   4:00 p.m.

Evening Public Statement Hearing      7:00 p.m.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 1, 2015

Ramapo Town Hall

Council Chamber

237 Route 59

Suffern, NY  10901

Afternoon Public Statement Hearing   4:00 p.m.

Evening Public Statement Hearing      7:00 p.m.

It is not necessary to be present at the start of the hearing, to make an appointment in advance, or to present written material to speak at the hearing.  Persons will be called to speak after completing a request card.  Each public statement hearing will continue until everyone wishing to speak has been heard or other reasonable arrangements have been made.  Disabled persons requiring special accommodations should call the Department of Public Service's Human Resources Management Office at (518) 474-2520 as soon as possible. TDD users may request a sign language interpreter by placing a call through the New York Relay Service at 711. Individuals with difficulty understanding or reading English are encouraged to call the Commission at 1-800-342-3377 for free language assistance services regarding this notice.

Other Ways to Comment

Internet or Mail:  In addition to speaking at the formal hearings, members of the public desiring to comment may submit written comments by sending them electronically to the Commission’s Secretary at secretary@dps.ny.gov or by mail or delivery to Hon. Kathleen H. Burgess, Secretary, Public Service Commission, Three Empire State Plaza, Albany, New York 12223-1350.  Comments should refer to "Cases 14-E-0493, 14-G-0494 – Orange and Rockland Utilities, Inc. — Gas and Electric Rates.”

Toll-free Opinion Line:  Comments may also be submitted through the Commission’s Opinion Line at 1-800-335-2120.  This number is designed to take comments about pending cases from in-state callers, 24 hours a day.  Callers should press “1” to leave comments for the cases referenced above.  These comments are not transcribed but are summarized, with the summary reported to the Administrative Law Judge and the Commission.

Comments are requested to be submitted no later than September 11, 2015, but will be accepted throughout the pendency of this proceeding.  Written comments will become part of the record considered by the Commission.  Written comments may be accessed on the Commission’s website by searching Cases 14-E-0493, 14-G-0494 in the input box labeled "Search for Case Number" and clicking on the “Public Comments” tab.  Many libraries offer free Internet access. 

The Commission’s decision in this case, when issued, may be obtained on the Commission’s website by searching for Cases 14-E-0493 and 14-G-0494 as described above.  Commission orders may also be obtained from the Commission’s Files Office, 14th floor, Three Empire State Plaza, Albany, NY 12223 (518-474-2500).  If you have difficulty understanding English, please call us at 1?800?342-3377 for free language assistance services regarding this press release.