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County officials say National Grid delivery charges drove sharp utility cost increases; budget impact discussed
Summary
County staff told legislators this week that recent increases in National Grid delivery charges and fees have more than doubled electricity costs for county facilities, producing a multi‑hundred‑thousand‑dollar hit to the 2025 operating budget and larger projected increases for 2026.
County staff reported steep, recent increases in electricity and natural gas costs that they said have widened the county’s 2025 operating shortfall and will affect the 2026 budget.
Eric (staff member) told legislators that the county budgeted just under $400,000 this year for electricity and had planned for a roughly 10–12% increase, based on a three‑year average. "National Grid...dropped a bombshell on us here in Upstate New York," Eric said, and the county’s electricity costs "have more than doubled...over the past couple of months," primarily because of higher delivery charges, he said.
Ken (staff member) and others later supplied numeric breakdowns during the same discussion. Staff said the immediate impact includes roughly $247,000 in additional electric costs and about $138,050 in added natural gas costs for the current year. Eric told the legislature he was projecting roughly a $600,000 increase in utilities for next year, though he said he had not yet received the final monthly billing that would let him provide a firm figure.
Why it matters: the county pays utilities for many facilities, and staff said some departments (for example social services and other off‑campus offices) may be billed back for usage. Legislators asked whether the county can recoup some expenses from other jurisdictions or adjust intergovernmental charges for inmates and other shared services; staff said that chargebacks depend on individual departments’ remaining budgets and are not automatic.
What officials said and what’s next: staff attributed the higher delivery charges to utility infrastructure upgrades and changes in statewide energy flows; Eric said growth in transmission needs to supply downstate demand has driven delivery‑charge increases in Upstate New York. Legislators pressed for more detailed figures and for any available recoupment options; staff said they would provide updated averages and a hard monthly number when the next bill arrives.
The discussion occurred while the legislature moved through routine budget amendments and personnel resolutions; legislators voted on related operating budget adjustments during the meeting. No new, specific policy action (for example, a change in county billing rules) was approved during the discussion, and staff said further follow‑up will be needed to finalize next year’s budget numbers.
Ending: Staff said updated figures would be circulated to legislators as soon as the monthly bill is available so the legislature can finalize budget decisions for 2026.
