Are you tired of soaring National Grid bills in New York? Well, brace yourself because they're about to get even worse. According to recent reports, the average Upstate household with gas and electric service can expect to pay over $360 for the month of February, a staggering 26% increase compared to their bills from February 2025. But here's the real kicker: this isn't even the worst part. The bills for November through January were already a headache, costing an average residential customer $120 more than the previous winter. And if the weather remains frigid for most of February, those bills could skyrocket even higher due to increased usage. The main culprit behind these skyrocketing bills? Rising wholesale prices for electricity and gas, driven by high demand during this frosty winter. Natural gas, the primary heating fuel in New York, is also the main driver of electricity prices in the spot market. As a result, National Grid will charge approximately 70 cents per therm for natural gas supply in February, a 45% increase from the previous year. Electric supply will cost households about 12 cents per kilowatt-hour, a 29% increase. And let's not forget the recent rate hike approved by the state. The state-approved increases in National Grid's delivery rates, which took effect in September, will also contribute to the higher February bills. According to National Grid, household natural gas bills will be about $52 higher this February than a year ago, with most of the increase coming from higher supply prices. However, $13.50 of the increase is due to delivery charges, which include company profits. For electric bills, the average increase will be around $23, with $16 attributed to supply charges and $7 to higher delivery charges. So, if you're a typical household using 600 kWh and 180 therms, you can expect a monthly bill of approximately $367, including delivery charges. This is a stark reminder that the cold weather has a high price tag, and it's essential to be prepared for these unexpected financial burdens.
