On Friday September 16th 2022, George Wiley Center brought together a coalition of residents, Elected officials and community organizers, including The Peoples Port Authority – to the PUC for a meeting Friday morning to hear testimony on the proposal.
Andrew Poyant and Monica Huertas provided testimony to the PUC and demanded they do not allow this increase.
“I want you to consider the repercussions, not for just us immediately,… especially for the folks who are already over burdened with toxic industries in the port, we get the most polluted yet cant even afford the utilities…” Monica Huertas
Here are the demands from GWC
The PUC must decrease the profit margin of utility companies, from 10% back to 6%
· RI Energy should voluntarily set their profit margin at lower levels, instead of what the PUC allows
· RI Energy must commit to working to pass a Percentage Income Payment Plan (PIPP)!
· RI Energy must share the burden of increasing electricity and natural gas market costs by absorbing some of the increased costs and by withdrawing their current rate hike proposals.
RI Energy had the assets to purchase RI National Grid, then they have the money to help avoid or absorb this huge rate hike. This rate hike is not an act of good faith for a company who promised the PUC and other stakeholders that they would improve services and lower costs for ratepayers.
If PPL corporation, now called “RI Energy” in Rhode Island, had the assets to purchase RI National Grid, then they have the money to avoid this huge rate increase. This rate hike is not an act of good faith for a company who promised the Public Utilities Commission and other stakeholders they would not make matters worse for the people of Rhode Island. We are all struggling and RI Energy should show us good faith by not pushing for this huge increase. The PUC should make the case that their request is unreasonable and reject it
peoplesportauthority.org 