Here’s why your utility bills have increased this month

UPDATE:

Brian Harrell, NYSEG’s Vice President and Chief Security Officer gave the following statment on the War in Ukraine and if there could be an affect on their utility customers:

AVANGRID, NYSEG’s parent company, continues to closely monitor the evolving situation in Ukraine, including any indirect impacts to our facilities and energy operations. We remain in constant communication with our federal, state and local national security partners, including the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), FBI and the Department of Energy, to track any malicious activities targeting our networks.

At present, the United States Government has been clear in communicating that there are currently no immediately known threats to the nation’s cyber networks, including the digital and physical infrastructure of our country’s power grid. AVANGRID has invested heavily in infrastructure protection, cybersecurity and resilience for our operating companies. As always, we remain committed to providing secure and reliable energy to our customers.

NYSEG also says the reason for the increase is not unique to New York utility companies. Natural gas prices during the winter have increased in the U.S. and across the globe.

ORIGINAL:

Energy prices and gas bills across the nation are up, and that is a trend that is likely to continue.

It is something 13 Investigates has been telling you about for months, but people are still reaching out with questions.

Some of the first reports were back in October that costs were going up. Now it is here.

Your utility bills are putting more of a strain on your wallet.

National Grid customers were the first to reach out to 13 Investigates wondering why they are paying so much more for heat and electricity.

In some cases, viewers say their bills tripled, even quadrupled in one month.

Now NYSEG customers are reaching out as well.

This is due to an increase in supply charges: that is one portion of your utility bill.

Basically, that is what it costs to buy energy for you.

Both utilities tell 13 Investigates they do not control supply charges, and they say they pay what we pay, so they are not profiting from the increase.

The utilities say that supply charges are dictated by the energy markets.

NYSEG said as the costs of fossil fuels increase around the world, supply prices have also increased and customers are seeing that reflected on their bills.

NYSEG said it’s too early to tell if the war in Ukraine will affect customers.

This is a story 13 Investigates will keep digging into.

Keep those questions coming to 13investigates@wnyt.com.