AG Kilmartin opposes National Grid rate hike

R.I. ATTORNEY General Peter F. Kilmartin is filing a motion, along with Lt. Gov.-elect Daniel McKee to intervene against the proposed increases by National Grid. / COURTESY R.I. ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE
R.I. ATTORNEY General Peter F. Kilmartin is filing a motion, along with Lt. Gov.-elect Daniel McKee to intervene against the proposed increases by National Grid. / COURTESY R.I. ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE

PROVIDENCE – Current and future state officials have filed motions to intervene with the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) and its review of a proposed National Grid rate increase, which – according to one estimation – could go up about 30 percent for small businesses.
Both Attorney General Peter Kilmartin and Lt. Governor-elect Daniel McKee are filing motions to intervene against the proposed increases. The next commission meeting is scheduled for Dec. 16.
McKee’s motion argues that the rate increase would have a “profoundly negative effect on existing small businesses in Rhode Island,” estimating an electricity cost increase of about 30 percent. He says it will discourage new small businesses from starting in the state, according to a press release.
“During this fragile period of economic recovery, [small businesses] are especially vulnerable to unexpected changes in their cost structures,” McKee said in a statement.
Kilmartin estimates the monthly bill of a “typical” residential customer will increase about $22.63, or 26.1 percent over the Standard Offer rate.
“Every single Rhode Island family and business will be financially impacted by this rate increase should it be approved by the PUC. Rubber stamping the request under the auspices of ‘there’s nothing we can do,’ or ‘the new normal’ is not satisfactory,” Kilmartin said in a statement.
Rhode Island National Grid president Timothy Horan, last month, expressed concern about the rate hike saying it was out the company’s control.
“National Grid is very concerned about what higher energy costs mean for our customers,” Horan said in a release. “We can’t control power supply prices.”
McKee is slated to file testimony from John Farley, former executive director of the Energy Council of Rhode Island, for the next commission meeting on how the rate request can be mitigated, according to the release.
“National Grid, a global, publicly traded and enormously profitable company, has both the capability and responsibility to develop supply procurement strategies and processes that can avert such drastic increases in their rates to small businesses,” McKee said. “They should be challenged to do so, rather than passively pass along these cost increases to customers.”
Attorney Michael McElroy, of Schacht & McElroy, filed the motion on behalf of McKee who’s acting under capacities including his role as mayor of Cumberland and incoming lieutenant governor.
Kilmartin, who publicly denounced the proposed rate increase, says National Grid’s obligation is to the ratepayers.
“I don’t know too many families or businesses that would consider a 26 percent increase in their best interest,” Kilmartin said.

No posts to display