Orange & Rockland, a major utility company serving southeastern New York and northern New Jersey, forecasts substantial rate hikes for natural gas and electricity in the coming winter.
Natural gas will likely cost 44 percent more than the past year; electricity, whose generation in the state of New York heavily relies on natural gas, will likely cost 28.8 percent more, according to a Sept. 9 company statement.
The rate hikes are caused by the increased market cost of natural gas, according to the statement.
Orange & Rockland (O&R) buys natural gas and electricity on the wholesale markets. It does not set supply costs, nor does it make a profit on the supply, according to the statement….