***Wappinger Town Board Votes to Oppose Delivery Rate Increases By Central Hudson***

During the January 25, 2021 Regular Meeting of the Wappinger Town Board, Resolution 2021-40 was approved to notify Central Hudson that the Town of Wappinger is against delivery rate increases. Supervisor Richard L. Thurston, Senior Councilman William H. Beale, Councilwoman Angela Bettina, Councilman Christopher Phillips, Councilman Al Casella all voted unanimously to oppose Central Hudson’s proposal. Although the Town Board has no authority in setting electric and gas rates, this statement is clear that any utility increases during the COVID-19 pandemic are not welcomed in Wappinger. The Town of Wappinger is proud to have kept taxes flat with a 0% tax rate increase to ensure that residents do not have any additional financial burdens.

Central Hudson filed amendments to its electric and gas tariff schedules on August 27, 2020, proposing to increase its annual electric and gas delivery revenues effective July 1, 2021.

Central Hudson proposes to increase its electric delivery revenues by approximately $32.8 million (8.4 percent increase in base delivery revenues, or 5.1 percent increase in total system revenues). The requested increase in electric delivery revenues results in an average residential monthly bill increase of $7.76 (6.22 percent increase on the total bill) for an average 630 kWh per month customer. Central Hudson has proposed moderating the increase with $20 million of bill credits representing projected net regulatory liability balances, which would reduce the impact on customers from $32.8 million to $12.8 million (3.3 percent increase in base delivery revenues, or 2 percent increase in total system revenues). Including the bill credits, the bill impacts on an average residential customer would be $3.51
per month (2.82 percent increase on the total bill).
Central Hudson proposes to increase its gas delivery revenues by approximately $14.4 million (12.1 percent increase in base delivery revenues, or 7.7 percent increase in total system revenues), which would result in a monthly bill increase of approximately $9.45 (7.96 percent on the total bill) for an average residential heating customer using 70 Ccf per month.