ALBANY — The New York State Public Service Commission (Commission) announced it will hold public statement hearings concerning whether to adopt proposed changes in the electric and gas delivery rates and practices of Orange and Rockland Utilities, Inc. (O&R), as set forth in a joint proposal filed in these proceedings.

On January 26, 2018, O&R filed amendments to its electricity and gas tariff schedules to increase its electric and gas delivery revenues. O&R proposed to increase its electric delivery revenues by approximately $20.3 million and to increase its natural gas delivery revenues by approximately $4.5 million. Following submission of testimony and exhibits in these proceedings, the parties entered into settlement negotiations, resulting in a proposal filed on November 9, 2018, by O&R, trial staff of the Department of Public Service, and certain other parties to the proceeding. It proposes a three-year rate plan for electric and gas delivery service from 2019 through 2021. The proposal calls for an increase in O&R’s electric delivery revenues by approximately $8.61 million in 2019, $12.06 million in 2020, and $12.17 million in 2021 (representing annual increases to O&R’s total electric revenues of approximately 0.4 percent, 1.9 percent, and 1.9 percent, respectively). The monthly electric bills for the average residential customer will increase by approximately $2.90 in 2019, $3.07 in 2020, and $3.04 in 2021.

The proposal also calls for a decrease in O&R’s gas revenues of $5.91 million in 2019 and increases of approximately $992,000 in 2020 and 2021 (representing a decrease in total gas revenues of 2.5 percent in 2019 and increases of 0.4 percent in both 2020 and 2021). The monthly gas bills for the average residential customer will decrease by approximately $1.99 in 2019 and increase by approximately $0.83 in 2020 and $1.07 in 2021.

The actual bill impacts of these proposed changes on any particular customer or customer class will vary based upon revenue allocation and rate design.

The proposal and the testimony and exhibits in these proceedings may be reviewed online at the Department of Public Service web page: www.dps.ny.gov by searching under case 18-E-0067 (electricity) or 18-G-0068 (gas).  The same filings are in both cases.

The Commission will consider the proposal and may adopt it or reject it in whole or in part or may modify it. Rates for 2019 will not go into effect until Commission action. The Commission may consider changes to the proposal by the participating signatory parties, by non-signatory parties, and by the general public. Administrative Law Judges are presiding over the public statement hearings and the gathering of public comments and all evidence relating to the proposal.

Public Statement Hearings

The public statement hearings will be held as follows:

Tuesday, December 4, 2018
Town of Wallkill Town Hall
99 Tower Drive
Building A
Middletown, NY 10941
Public Statement Hearing:          5:00 P.M.

Wednesday, December 5, 2018
Mamakating Town Hall
2948 Route 209
Wurtsboro, NY 12790
Public Statement Hearing:          12:00 P.M.

Wednesday, December 5, 2018
Ramapo Town Hall
237 Route 59
Suffern, NY 10901
Public Statement Hearing:          5:00 P.M.

At the public statement hearings, those wishing to comment on any aspect of this proceeding, including the proposal, will have an opportunity to make a statement on the record. It is not necessary to make an appointment in advance or to present written material in order to speak at the hearing. Persons will be called to speak after completing a participation card. The hearings will remain open for a minimum of one hour and will continue until everyone wishing to speak has been heard, subject to the discretion of the Administrative Law Judges and the time limitations on the availability of the Town Halls in which the hearings will be held. In the event that everyone wishing to speak has not been heard, other reasonable arrangements for submission of comments will be made. Depending on the number of persons wishing to speak, time limitations on the presentation of comments may be imposed. A verbatim transcript of the hearings will be made for inclusion in the record of this proceeding.

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 the English language are encouraged to call the Department at (800) 342-3377 for free language assistance services regarding this press release.

Other Ways to Comment

For those who cannot attend or prefer not to speak at a public statement hearing, there are several other ways to provide your comments to the Commission. Comments should refer to “Cases 18-E-0067 and 18-G-0068 – Orange and Rockland.” Comments will become part of the record considered by the Commission. Written comments may be read on the website by searching Case 18-E-0067 or 18-G-0068 and clicking on the “Public Comments” tab.

Via the Internet or Mail: Comments may be entered directly into the case file by locating the case via the home page of the Commission’s website, www.dps.ny.gov, by clicking on “Search” and entering 18-E-0067 or 18-G-0068 in the “Search by Case Number” field. A commenter should click on the “Post Comments” button located at the top of the page and leave the comment by completing the form to which he or she is then directed.

The public may also send comments electronically to the Hon. Kathleen H. Burgess, Secretary, at secretary@dps.ny.gov or by mail or delivery to Secretary Burgess at the New York State Public Service Commission, Three Empire State Plaza, Albany, New York 12223-1350.

Toll-Free Opinion Line: Individuals may choose to submit comments by calling the Commission’s Opinion Line at (800) 335-2120. Callers should refer to the “Orange and Rockland rate case.” This line is set up to receive in-state calls 24 hours a day. These calls are not transcribed but a summary is provided to the Administrative Law Judges who will report to the Commission.

Comments submitted via these alternative means are requested by January 11, 2019.