New York - Hit by Fuel Costs, Con Ed Projects Bigger Increase in Bills

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New York - Con Edison is expecting to bill its residential customers in New York City and Westchester County 22% more for electricity this summer than last because of rising fuel costs.

A customer who uses 350 kilowatt-hours of power per month, a typical amount, would pay about $105, $19 more than a year ago and $8 more than an estimate at the end of May.

Business customers will most likely see their bills rise 25%, to an average of $2,893.08 a month.

The expected increase for June through September, detailed in an internal monthly memo and reported in The Daily News on Friday, is nearly twice the 13 percent increase that Con Edison had forecast. With natural gas prices rising and oil near record highs, the utility revised its estimates.

"It's all due to rising fuel costs," said Chris Olert, a spokesman for Con Edison. "We make no money on power generation. If we pay X cents per kilowatt-hour, our customers pay X cents per kilowatt-hour as well."

Though Con Edison routinely passes along its fuel costs, some lawmakers said that the utility's executives should try harder to keep costs down.

"Con Ed is continuing to fleece taxpayers while giving exorbitant pay packages to its executives," complained Eric N. Gioia, a city councilman who represents Sunnyside and other areas of Queens and is planning to run for public advocate next year. "New Yorkers deserve better."