New York’s Public Service Commission has fined five utility companies about $50 million for failing to meet customer service standards, according to the state’s latest annual report.
The PSC, which oversees utilities across New York, grades companies each year on how they treat customers, including satisfaction scores, complaint levels and how quickly they answer calls.
PSC officials said the penalties are tied to missed benchmarks on customer satisfaction, complaints filed with the commission and the number of adjusted or estimated bills. The report also looks at issues such as missed appointments that force customers to wait at home for hours.
One National Grid customer, Fran Louis, said her bill jumped sharply.
“It went from $700 to a little over $1,000,” she said, describing the cost for a four‑unit building.
Louis said she’s also frustrated by broad appointment windows.
“So I’m supposed to not go to work so that I can pay you, to wait around for you to [have] my day for 12 hours?” she said.
Other customers say their experiences have been better. National Grid customer Nick Malossi credited the utility with responding quickly when his building lost power.
“I find them to be pretty reliable. You know, when we’ve had power outages at the building, I find them pretty much be on the job,” Malossi said.
The Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corp. is among the utilities facing penalties. Joe Jenkins, the company’s director of media relations, said Central Hudson understands where it fell short.
“The time it takes to answer our phone calls, there’s a requirement that we need to meet in order to answer the calls within a certain period of time. And, we did not meet that standard,” Jenkins said.
He said the company is working on changes.
“We’re looking to reevaluate in a number of different ways, including interactions with our contact center, transparency in our billing and online self‑service options,” Jenkins said.
Rory Christian, CEO of the Department of Public Service and chair of the PSC, said the commission’s metrics are designed to push utilities to do better.
“We want to make sure those customers are treated well. And the problems are identified and addressed as quickly and expeditiously and efficiently as possible. And these metrics are all designed with that goal in mind,” Christian said.
Christian said monetary penalties are one way to drive improvement, but customers also have a role. If they can’t resolve an issue with their utility, they can file a complaint with the state.
Malossi said he’s not shy about seeking help when he feels something isn’t right.
“I get the government involved. You know, and that’s what you support. That’s why they’re there,” he said.
According to the PSC, six utilities met customer service standards this year, including answering calls within required time frames and issuing credits when due. National Grid says it works every day to meet the needs of its roughly four million customers and will use the commission’s recommendations to try to do even better.