NYSEG and RG&E are the only owners of pipes and wires in the territory that will be affected by these increased prices. Because the territory that they have control over is so large, utility regulators must approve the filed settlement. Currently, this agreement is still awaiting approval. Support for this agreement comes from over 20 different parties who have all signed the settlement. The goal of this bill is to make sure that customers receive safe and reliable services at low rates.
NYSEG has 900,000 electric customers and 260,000 natural gas clients over different areas of New York totaling 20,000 square miles. This is about 40% of the upstate New York region. RG&E has 375,000 electric customers and 308,000 natural gas clients in the nine county service territory centered around Rochester, approximately covering 2,700 square miles.
These two companies are major powerhouses when it comes to the electric and gas industry. They appear to be the primary companies in most residential areas of upstate New York. However, utilities maintain that even after this three-year rate increase is fully functioning, the NYSEG and RG&E will have the lowest delivery rates in the state among investor-owned companies.