As State Considers ANOTHER National Grid Rate Hike, Lawmakers Urge Governor to Sign "100-Foot Rule" Repeal

Despite record profits, company wants to again raise rates and force upstate New Yorkers to pay more than $1B over next two years; Governor should sign legislation on her desk to repeal the hidden tax that already forces families to pay more on their energy bills to the same companies raising rates

ALBANY, NY (08/14/2025) (readMedia)-- Today, the Public Service Commission is expected to vote on a rate increase request from National Grid that, if approved, would raise energy bills by an average of $264 every year for upstate New Yorkers. In response, Assemblymember Gabriella Romero issued the following statement urging Governor Hochul to sign legislation on her desk to get rid of an extra charge on every New Yorker's gas bill that inflates utility profits:

"Everyday people are already struggling to pay energy bills they cannot afford, and now National Grid wants to make it even harder to get by. Repealing the 100-foot rule is an easy common-sense way for the Governor to save New Yorkers money, and a critical first step to phasing out outdated fracked gas infrastructure. As we work to transition to a cleaner, more affordable energy system, this legislation is a necessary and important step forward. I urge the Governor to deliver for upstate New Yorkers in need and sign this bill into law immediately."

Background

Despite recording record profits last year, National Grid is urging the state to approve rate hikes that would raise the average gas bills by 36% and the average electric bills by 28% over just three years. If approved, the average upstate New Yorker would see their energy bills increase by $25 every single month.

National Grid's latest request to raise rates on families comes as millions of households are already struggling to afford their energy bills. 1 in 4 New York households already cannot afford their energy bills, and according to an estimate from the Alliance for a Green Economy, 1.2 million families are two or months behind on their energy bills. At the same time, the Trump administration is cutting funding for federal energy assistance programs that thousands of New Yorkers rely on to get by.

Repealing the outdated "100-foot rule" would end the outdated requirement that forces working class families to pay more on their energy bills to expand fracked gas pipelines and inflate corporate utility profits. By signing this legislation, Governor Hochul can end that mandate, saving New Yorkers an estimated $200 million every year and enabling the state to transition to a cleaner, more affordable energy future.