Many families were hit by high home energy bills this winter, and whatever the reason behind it, it hurts our wallets. Many of you have called my office concerned about this recent price spike, and I share your concerns. I am joining Sen. Griffo to call for the New York State Power Authority (NYPA) to review the recent increases to ensure that they are due to a rise in demand and not price gouging, as some constituents have raised as a concern.

New Yorkers are hearty, but this winter has tried everyone’s patience. New York was hit with an especially long and cold winter. Plus, here in the North Country, we’ve been buried under multiple feet of snow. It hasn’t just been New Yorkers facing a bitter winter; from Chicago’s biting cold to the South’s surprise winter storms, we’ve all had to increase our energy consumption to heat our homes.

A few things determine the price of your energy – delivery costs and the ratio between demand and supply of the actual electricity. Delivery costs are fairly consistent, but the disparity between supply and demand is especially great this year, which could explain the increased costs. Again, Sen. Griffo and I are asking NYPA to confirm that this is the case this year.

As a consumer, you have the right to change your supplier. There are many energy suppliers available to you, some which offer fixed energy rates to avoid price spikes like we’ve seen this year. Suppliers can be found here: www.nationalgridus.com/niagaramohawk/business/energychoice/4_supplier_list.asp. If you change your supplier, National Grid will continue to deliver your energy to you.

If you are struggling financially and facing high heating bills, the Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) may be able to help you. HEAP helps low-income New Yorkers heat their homes. It’s funded with federal money and offers additional services for heating emergencies, and even helps people replace or repair furnaces. More information about the program and income eligibility can be found here: www.otda.ny.gov/programs/heap.

Finally, this energy cost spike and the lack of supply tells us that New York should do everything it can to explore additional and alternative energy sources. I will continue to fight for the important variety of sources available to us – whether it is fighting for the right to use outdoor wood-burning stoves or exploring the energy-rich natural resources in our state.

This, coupled with our individual efforts to conserve energy by reducing consumption and using energy- efficient products, can help rein in the high energy costs. If you have questions or comments, please feel free to call my office at 493-3909 or email me at blankenbushk@assembly.state.ny.us.