Month: July 2008
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OTDA Must Relax Its Administrative Restriction on Utility Assistance Loans for Persons with Incomes Above the Public Assistance Level
BackgroundIn 1981 the Legislature overhauled the utility consumer protection laws creating the landmark Home Energy Fair Practices Act (HEFPA), whose comprehensive provisions advance the declared state policy of continuous residential […] -
New York Asks Congress to Fully Fund Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program
OTDA Asks to Double LIHEAA Funding for New YorkNew York State has included full funding of the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) in its federal legislative agenda. […] -
Reform of OTDA Fuel Allowances and Utility Assistance Loan Program is Needed
With growing recognition that the rising costs of fuel will cause enormous hardship to low income families in the coming months, attention is being paid to raising federal appropriations for […] -
Niagara Mohawk Residential Gas Bills Heading Toward 58% Increase in January 2009
Residential natural gas customers of Niagara Mohawk d/b/a National Grid can expect to see a 58% increase in their winter heating bills next January. A customer using 200 Therms would […] -
Enron-Like Gaming of NYISO Market Rules: Did it Cost New York Consumers At Least $125 Million?
In a cryptic NYISO filing at FERC on July 21, 2008, the NYISO asked FERC to approve a prospective market rule change to prohibit what appears to be gaming of […] -
Time of Use Rates and "Smart Meters"
Today’s interesting New York Times article, Rewarding Those Who Wait to Flip the Switch, explores why residential time of use rates, offered for many years by Con Edison and other […] -
PULP Comments on HEAP Plan for 2008 -2009
The Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA) this week completed its hearings on the Draft Plan for the New York State Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) for 2008 – […] -
PULP’s Con Edison Bill Estimator
Because of the lack of transparency of Con Edison prices, it is impractical if not impossible for most customers to wade through the calculations needed to identify what Con Edison […] -
Excelsior! Excelsior! Con Edison Rates Peak Again: Bills Up 30% Since May
In the summer of 2007, Con Edison residential bills reached an unprecedented spike. See Excelsior! Con Edison Residential Rates Spike (Again). By comparison, Rochester Gas and Electric, which unlike Con […]