After a recent spate of complaints from constituents regarding National Grid’s refusal to provide any new gas connections, imposing a gas moratorium in Brooklyn, Assembly Members Robert Carroll and Simcha Eichenstein called on the Public Service Commission to investigate National Grid’s gas moratorium. This gas crisis has arisen without prior notice or communications by the Company, with the Company refusing to install new gas lines and in many cases declining to repair existing lines. Local residents and business owners feel they will be forced to switch from gas to electric which will be a large, costly burden for them to face in times of uncertainty.

To make matters worse, National Grid filed a request for a rate increase with the NYS Public Service Commission on April 30, 2019 seeking an increase of $196 million dollars. This is a 13.9% increase in natural gas delivery rates, a rate increase that is unfair and unaffordable to most customers.

“National Grid’s rates are already among the highest in New York State and the nation. Many of the people I represent are currently struggling to pay their utility bill and if the Public Service Commission approves the Company’s request, my constituents will have even greater difficulty paying their bills. I urge the Commission to reject the company’s request for a rate increase,” said Assembly Member Robert Carroll.

"The Public Service Commission must investigate National Grid's moratorium on new gas installation. A company that secretly reduces service access while increasing rates cannot be allowed to continue operating as a monopoly in the borough of Brooklyn," said Assembly Member Simcha Eichenstein.

Letter sent to the Public Service Commission by Assembly Member Carroll co-signed by a number of members of Brooklyn delegation to New York State Assembly.