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SLC legislators urge Liberty Utility customers to comment on potential rate hike 

Concerns for fixed and low income families raised at recent meeting

Posted 2/3/25

CANTON -- Liberty Utilities has filed a request to increase rates for gas services but county legislators are calling on the state to take action to curb the request.

Liberty Utilities is …

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SLC legislators urge Liberty Utility customers to comment on potential rate hike 

Concerns for fixed and low income families raised at recent meeting

Posted

CANTON -- Liberty Utilities has filed a request to increase rates for gas services but county legislators are calling on the state to take action to curb the request.

Liberty Utilities is seeking permission to increase its gas rates, which could lead to an 11.45% increase for residential users.

A filing with the Public Service Commission (PSC) on Nov. 27 details the request for a  $2.174 million hike in annual gas revenues.

Liberty Utilities currently provides service to Brasher, Winthrop, Canton, Gouverneur, Heuvelton, Lisbon, Madrid, Massena, Norfolk, North Lawrence, Norwood, Ogdensburg, Potsdam and Waddington in St. Lawrence County. Services are also provided to Beaver Falls, New Bremen, Croghan, Chateaugay and Malone.

They say increased operating costs are driving the request.

But legislators are saying the rate hike is simply too much at a time when North Country residents continue to struggle to make ends meet.

According to county officials, if the rate increase were to be approved, monthly bills would increase by $5.67 for a residential heat customer using 81 therms per month.

That represents a 2.5% increase on the total bill or 5.7% increase on the delivery bill.

According to Liberty Utilities, 14,862 residential, 1,770 commercial, 21 industrial and two cogeneration customers are currently serviced by the company.

Public comment is currently open with the New York State Public Service Commission, who are accepting comments both for and against the rate hike.

Legislators said they want all residents who have the ability to weigh-in before the deadline to ensure the Commission has a full picture of the potential impact.

"Residents of St. Lawrence County, many of whom live upon a fixed income and who are already experiencing great financial burden due to rising costs and record-setting inflation over the past four years, will feel significant financial pressure if the requested rate increase is approved," legislators said.

For those who wish to voice their opinions on the matter, a public comment period is now open.

To comment, visit https://dps.ny.gov/file-search and enter case number 24-G-0668.

On the file page, click the "Post Comments" button in the top right corner.

Names, addresses and email addresses are required to post a comment.

Attachments can also be included with comments, all of which are open to public viewing.

All documents that have been filed in the case thus far are also available to the public under the "Filed Documents" tab.

The case will be heard by Judges Leah Amyot and Ashley Moreno.

Parties listed include Elizabeth Koelbl, a rates analyst for Liberty Utilities in Massena, and Jeffrey Greenblatt, director of legal services for Liberty Utilities in Merrick, NY.



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