As winter heating bills surge across upstate New York, Assemblymember Angelo Santabarbara is calling for an independent investigation by State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli into electric and gas delivery charges imposed by investor-owned utilities, including National Grid.

Santabarbara says a growing number of constituents are reporting steep increases in delivery charges that cannot be explained by how much energy they use.

“Customers are paying more in delivery charges even when they are using the same amount – or less – energy,” Santabarbara said. “That raises serious red flags about how these charges are calculated and who is being protected when bills go up.”

In a formal request to the Comptroller’s Office, Santabarbara called for an independent review of utility delivery charges, cost-recovery practices, and whether current oversight is adequately protecting New Yorkers during periods of extreme winter demand.

Key concerns cited in the request include:

• Delivery charges increasing even when energy usage remains flat or declines
• High-profit years reported by utilities while customer bills continue to rise
• Executive compensation and shareholder returns remaining protected
• Rising winter heating costs being shifted almost entirely onto ratepayers

Santabarbara emphasized that utilities operate as regulated monopolies, leaving customers with no alternative provider and no ability to shop around when bills become unaffordable.

“Heating your home in upstate New York isn’t optional,” he said. “When people are doing everything right – conserving energy, budgeting carefully – and still getting hit with higher delivery charges, the system isn’t working for them.”

Santabarbara said public confidence has eroded because the same regulatory system that approved these charges is now expected to justify them. 

“New Yorkers don’t believe this system can police itself,” he said. “That’s why I’m asking the Comptroller, an independent watchdog, to look at the books and tell the public what’s really driving these costs.”

In addition to calling for the investigation, Santabarbara has introduced legislation for the new legislative session to:

• Give the Legislature greater authority over Public Service Commission rate decisions, including the power to modify or reverse rate increases 
• Prevent utilities from seeking rate increases during years of high profits

 He said the Comptroller’s investigation is a critical step toward restoring transparency and accountability.

 “This is about fairness,” Santabarbara said. “People deserve to know why their bills keep rising, at a time when families are being forced to shoulder higher costs without clear justification or accountability. Sunlight is how we start to turn this around.”