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Fallsburg residents, board question NYSEG reliability after meeting; warn rate hike may be tied to upgrades
Summary
At the July 15 meeting town leaders and residents recounted a regional meeting with NYSEG where the utility acknowledged infrastructure problems but said major upgrades depended on a pending rate increase. Participants urged residents to contact the Public Service Commission; the board discussed affordability and grid readiness for electrification mandates.
Town leadership and residents described a recent meeting with New York State Electric & Gas (NYSEG) in which the utility acknowledged equipment failures and outlined upgrade plans that appear contingent on a rate increase.
The supervisor summarized the NYSEG briefing, saying the company acknowledged shortcomings in service and that some transformer failures caused outages. He said upgrades were discussed but that NYSEG indicated much of the work would require a rate increase to fund the projects.
One participant (speaker 5) sharply criticized the regulator-utility relationship, saying, "The Public Service Commission is bought and sold by NYSEG, and it's a farce." Other speakers and the supervisor noted Assemblywoman Paula Kaye had been pressing for upgrades without rate increases.
The board and residents debated broader implications: whether electrification mandates are realistic without grid upgrades, concerns about affordability if delivery charges rise, and the limits of local control over utility infrastructure. Speakers recommended residents lodge complaints with the Public Service Commission and pursue coordinated outreach so the PSC will act on customer feedback.
No binding municipal action was recorded on this topic at the meeting; the discussion was taken as context for ongoing advocacy and follow-up with the utility and state representatives.
