It's the Brian Lairn Show on WNYC. Good morning again, everyone. And now your electric bill,

if you live in Con Ed, territory, they want to charge you more money. Did you hear this?

For the third time in five years, the utility giant has asked a New York State regulator for a rate

increase. If it's approved, one analysis estimates that the average consumer would pay about

$300 a month in utility bills by next year.

The request is extremely unpopular.

Is that a shock?

Even Governor Kathy Hokel opposes it.

It's not news to say many New Yorkers are already having a hard time making ends meet,

given ever-rising living costs of various kinds,

and a rate hike would make

it even harder to keep the lights on. Yesterday was the first day of public hearings up in Albany

about it, which is why we're talking about it today. This is a public comment period that has now

opened. So joining us to discuss is Samantha Maldonado, senior reporter at the city,

covering climate, resiliency, housing, and development. Sam, always good to have you. Welcome

back to WNYC. Hi. Thanks so much. Let's start with the process. And then I'll ask you why Connett

argues that it needs a rate hike and what some of the pushback is,

but they can't just start charging people more for gas and electric on their own.

Can you walk us through the process?

Sure.

So basically what happens is this thing called a rate case, and it can take almost two years, sometimes longer sometimes a little bit less but basically

what happens is that con ed or any utility company uh proposes a rate hike to the PSC which is a state

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