Hochul's decision on utility consumer advocate bill eyed by advocates

And a second Republican is running for Elise Stefanik's seat in Congress.

Good afternoon — It’s Tuesday and the Elimination of Violence Against Women Day.

In today’s CapCon:

• The focus on affordability by Democrats is giving hope to supporters of a bill to create a new advocate for residential ratepayers.

• A new appointment to New York’s ethics agency has been approved.

• Two top State Police leaders are expected to resign over allegations that they used their positions to get privileges at the Ryder Cup.

• A second Republican has now officially announced a run for Congress to succeed U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik.

• The state Assembly has scheduled a hearing in New York City for next week.

Names in today’s CapCon: Kathy Hochul, Jeff Klein, Linda Scott, Robert Smullen, Anthony Constantino, Zohran Mamdani, Elise Stefanik

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Today’s Capitol Confidential is sponsored by Food & Water Watch.

Tell Governor Hochul to sign the Legislature’s repeal of the 100-foot rule. New Yorkers shouldn’t have to subsidize new gas hookups. End this outdated giveaway and cut costs for families. — Food & Water Watch

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(Will Waldron/Times Union)

⚡ Rising utility costs prompt renewed push for once-vetoed consumer advocate bill

Democrats in New York have a problem that they haven’t been able to escape heading into next year’s elections.

That’s the rising cost of energy. The state Public Service Commission approved another round of rate increases for utility providers over the summer and is poised to do the same for others soon.

That process is more complicated than a state entity simply approving or rejecting a request from a utility company. It’s more of a collaborative effort between those companies and the state to reach a compromise.

The results of those negotiations are often mixed. Take National Grid’s rate request from this year.

National Grid had requested a rate increase to produce about $510 million in new revenue from electricity over one year. That would have resulted in a steep hike in the cost of energy delivery.

The state Department of Public Service negotiated with the utility and came to a settlement that reduced the utility’s rate increase to generate just $167 million over one year.

But to address the company’s concerns over its costs, which were mainly attributed to maintaining decades-old infrastructure, the state agency allowed its rates to rise for the next two years as well.

Between those three years, National Grid was approved to generate $708 million in new revenue.

The agreement frustrated consumer advocacy groups that have long-bemoaned the process as opaque to the public.

The rate requests require readers to navigate the Public Service Commission’s filing system and navigate through what’s important and what’s not. Even then, the industry jargon requires translation for those who don’t know it, which is pretty much everyone.

Democrats know they have to do something in the coming year to address utility costs and how they’re determined. Everyone’s favorite buzzword — affordability — is top of mind.

That’s inspired supporters of a bill soon to be considered by Gov. Kathy Hochul to make a new push for her approval. Hochul typically doesn’t comment on bills before they reach her desk.