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RG&E customers out of patience with higher bills


Patrick Fox of Irondequoit told 13WHAM he just received his July-August RG&E bill, which he said was twice as high as it normally is. (Photo by Tom Maloney/WHAM)
Patrick Fox of Irondequoit told 13WHAM he just received his July-August RG&E bill, which he said was twice as high as it normally is. (Photo by Tom Maloney/WHAM)
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Rochester Gas and Electric customers are saying enough is enough, as they grow frustrated with increasingly high energy bills.

Public hearings were set to wrap up Tuesday over a proposed rate hike, as lawmakers investigate whether the hike is justified.

And while the company wants people to cough up more money, customers are saying they can't afford a penny more.

MORE: Customer confused and frustrated over RG&E billing

Patrick Fox of Irondequoit is taking a look at his RG&E bill from July 22-Aug. 17, which he just received — two months later.

He said the $326 bill is double what he normally pays for that time of year.

"This company goes months not billing people," Fox said. "How are they being a responsible agent? And then they want us as ratepayers even more for service that puts the person in the most awkward position."

Fox is a volunteer with AARP. At one of the hearings held by the Public Service Commission, he spoke against RG&E charging customers an additional $8.50 per month for gas delivery.

He said older customers already have a hard time making ends meet and can't afford any additional charges.

"People are already weighing if they can afford their medication or their food for the week," Fox said. "And then these huge bills, a 19 percent request for electric provision and 21 percent for gas? In this economy, with this inflation? It just doesn’t make any sense."

Karla Boyce of Honeoye Falls stopped to grab a few items at a grocery store in Henrietta during her lunch break. Her utility company is NYSEG, which is also owned by RG&E's parent company, Avangrid. The company is proposing its customers pay an extra $10.50 per month for gas delivery, which Boyce said she's not prepared to do.

"I had to take on second job," she said. "I was hoping to live on Social Security but I don't see that happening in the near future."

Eugenio Cotto said no matter how you slice it, these inflation costs and added expenses are cutting into people's wallets. He said with higher utility, grocery and gas bills, he's already had to cut back.

"Instead of going to the fast food, restaurants, like I’m going to do now, I’m going to buy some microwave food that’s a lot cheaper," Cotto said. "So, there are ways that you can cut back on it, but it shouldn’t have to be that way."


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