POUGHKEEPSIE – Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro has asked the chairman of the State Public Service Commission to “ensure full transparency and accountability during the investigations” into new billing systems implemented by Central Hudson Gas and Electric Corporation and New York State Electric and Gas Corporation.
The county executive urged the PSC to suspend any current rate case and defer any future utility filings including any pending rate increases during the investigation period, and until all outstanding related customer disputes have been satisfied, and to suspend any current rate case and defer any future filings including any pending rate increases until a management and operations audit has been completed.
“The utilities cannot escape the responsibility for a flawed rollout of a new billing system and failure to effectively communicate with affected customers, but neither should those that regulate them,” Molinaro wrote in a letter to PSC Chairman Rory Christian.
“While the investigations and resolutions are paramount, in short order I call on the PSC to seek greater accountability and transparency from the utilities they regulate, but also look inward to the Department of Public Service and New York State for the same accountability and transparency,” Molinaro wrote.
