Right now, over 88,000 families in New York City have been disconnected from electricity by Con Edison – and it's only halfway through the year. Many of these shutoffs happened during a record-breaking heatwave, leaving families without power, cooling, or safety as temperatures soared.

Now Con Edison, the private utility monopoly that powers 3.6 million homes, wants to raise rates again — by 11% for electricity and 13% for gas. If approved, that could mean an extra $372 a year for the average family. All while New Yorkers are still recovering from the pandemic, facing inflation, and struggling to afford housing.

For tens of thousands of New Yorkers, these price hikes aren’t just frustrating — they’re dangerous. Families are being forced to ration air conditioning, risk heat stroke, and go without refrigeration or internet because they can't afford the bill. Research shows Black and Latino households are hit the hardest — disconnected at up to eight times the rate of white families.

This is what happens when one company holds a monopoly over a basic necessity like energy. Despite offering payment plans and discounts, Con Edison continues to shut off service for thousands — nearly 150,000 homes could lose power by year’s end, more than any utility in the country.

It’s time to break this cycle.

We’re calling on the New York Public Service Commission and state lawmakers to:

1. Reject Con Edison’s latest rate hikes, and
2. Launch an investigation into breaking up the Con Edison monopoly, opening the door to community-owned or nonprofit utilities that prioritize people over profits.

Energy is a human need — not a luxury for the few who can afford it. We can’t allow a private monopoly to disconnect our neighbors while raising rates in the middle of a climate and cost of living crisis.

Sign this petition if you believe it’s time to put people over profit — and build a fair, affordable energy system for all New Yorkers.

 
Photo: Spencer Platt/Getty Images