WKTV File
UTICA, N.Y. — Local National Grid customers are facing high bills as a new report from the New York State Public Service Commission reveals several problems with how the company operates.
The results come from an independent auditor contracted by the state, which made 72 recommendations to National Grid. These suggestions cover areas like customer service, billing and system reliability.
One finding focused on National Grid’s aging infrastructure. The average age of the company’s steel transmission poles is 91 years, even though their expected lifespan is 65 years.
National Grid has spent $900 million since 2010 on electric asset management programs, but the audit found that system reliability has not changed. The report also raised concerns about billing oversight and customer account management, noting that unresolved billing issues are increasing.
The audit’s biggest finding was a sharp rise in estimated and long-term estimated bills. In 2024, there were 24,773 estimated bills. By September of last year, that number had grown to 24,284, a 69% increase. This means more customers are getting estimated bills instead of actual meter readings.
Pattric O’Brien, National Grid’s vice president of regulation and pricing, sent a letter to the State Public Service Commission. “National Grid acknowledges that the recommendations as a whole present a constructive set of ideas and initiatives and the company generally accepts the recommendations,” O’Brien said.