On Thursday, Sept. 25, State Sen. Peter Oberacker, R-Schenevus, unveiled a bill he’s proposing called the New York State Ratepayer Bill of Rights — a proposal that outlines 10 “fundamental rights that utility customers should be guaranteed from accurate billing to fair outage compensation,” according to a news release.
It comes at a crucial time, the release stated, as ratepayers across the state are grappling with rising costs, unreliable service and growing concerns about corporate influence and foreign ownership of utility companies.
“For too long, utility companies have operated in a system that favors profits over people,” Oberacker said in a statement. “This plan restores balance by putting the power back where it belongs, in the hands of the ratepayers, not boardrooms of corporate utilities or their overseas parent companies.”
Key protections in the Ratepayer Bill of Rights would include:
Mandatory public hearings and independent review before any rate increasesFull transparency on billing formulas, rate structures, and executive compensationStrict penalties for overbilling, poor communication, or service failureAutomatic bill credits for extended power outagesA permanent ban on political contributions from regulated utility companies to elected officials or oversight committeesCreation of a Utility Consumer Advocate Office to stand up for customer interestsFinancial safeguards to prevent shutoffs during extreme weather or hardshipPublic access to infrastructure safety reviews, including grid reliability and battery storageA requirement that utilities maintain and modernize the power grid with independent auditsEmpowering local governments and communities to have a voice in utility project siting and expansions
The Ratepayer Bill of Rights is designed to put customers first ahead of special interests, foreign investors or unaccountable utility executives, the release stated.
“Over the last year, I have heard from hundreds of constituents telling horror stories of their experiences with utility companies,” Oberacker said. “Families in my district have been hit with $3,000 bills and unauthorized withdrawals of nearly $1,000 without warning. It’s time New Yorkers are treated as the ones who are footing the bill and not just treated like a bottom line.”
Oberacker plans to introduce the Ratepayer Bill of Rights as a package of bills in the upcoming legislative session and is calling for broad bipartisan support to restore trust, fairness and transparency in how utilities serve New York’s homes and businesses, the release stated.