ALBANY – The two-year-old major billing problems with Central Hudson Gas and Electric Corporation should be resolved in the near future as the State Department of Public Service Thursday took two major steps to fix it.
The utility’s new billing system, installed two years ago, saw customers receiving massive billing increases, but with the agreement, Central Hudson will pay for an independent monitor to verify system and operational improvements.
Central Hudson has also agreed to start taking meter readings monthly, instead of estimating readings every other month.
But, while Ulster County Executive Jen Metzger is happy to see both terms, she is concerned that the ratepayers don’t get stuck covering the added cost of the monthly billing.
“The monthly meter readings will be determined in the next rate case, and we are going to have to be fighting to get shareholders to pay for that change,” she said.
While the monthly meter reading and billing will start now, it is expected to take over a year to have all customers placed in the new system.
