News

Orange County Government

Office of County Executive Steven M. Neuhaus

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release                                                                           Contact: Rebecca Sheehan
March 31, 2025                                                                                         Phone: (845) 291-3255

**Media Advisory – Date Updated**
Orange County Executive Steven M. Neuhaus’ to Deliver
2025 State of the County Address on April 23

County Executive Neuhaus invites residents, business owners, and community leaders to attend his State of the County Address on Wednesday, April 23^rd (rescheduled from April 16^th) at 6:00 p.m. The presentation will take place at the Orange County Emergency Services Auditorium, located at 22 Wells Farm Road, Goshen, NY.

County Executive Neuhaus will update the public on key accomplishments, future initiatives, and the overall status of the County. The event offers community members an opportunity to hear directly from their elected leader regarding the direction of Orange County.

Event Details:
What: State of the County Address
When: Wednesday, April 23^rd at 6:00 p.m.
Where: Orange County Emergency Services Auditorium
22 Wells Farm Road, Goshen, NY

Why Attend:

• Get an update on the County’s economic growth, financial status, public safety, and new initiatives
• Learn about upcoming projects that will impact the community

This event is open to the public, and residents are encouraged to attend.

Please RSVP to reserve your seat:
https://forms.office.com/g/NidsGSKPGS

For more information, contact Rebecca Sheehan, Assistant to County Executive Steven M. Neuhaus, Director of Public Information and Media Relations, at 845.907.2332 or presscontact@orangecountygov.com.

To learn more about what County Executive Neuhaus is doing for Orange County, follow Orange County Government and Steven M. Neuhaus on Facebook, @Orange County NY Govt and @steve.neuhaus on Instagram, and @OCGovNY and @SNeuhausOC on X. You can also watch Neuhaus’ NeuCast podcasts and Leadership Speaker Series on YouTube. You can also reach out to ceoffice@orangecountygov.com.

PEARL RIVER, NY, March 20, 2025, 2:00 p.m. – The New York State Public Service Commission (NYSPSC) today voted to approve a Joint Proposal entered by Orange and Rockland Utilities, Inc. (O&R), the New York State Department of Public Service (NYSDPS) staff, and Utility Intervention Unit, Division of Consumer Protection, New York State Department of State (UIU), that provides new three-year delivery rates for both O&R’s electric and natural gas services.

Today’s decision establishes a three-year rate plan for electric and gas service provided by O&R for the period January 1, 2025 through December 31, 2027. Under the new electric rates, the Joint Proposal establishes shaped revenue increases over the three-year rate plan of zero in 2025 and an increase of approximately $17.7 million in both 2026 and 2027. Under the new natural gas rates, the Joint Proposal establishes levelized revenue increases of approximately $10.4 million in 2025, 2026, and 2027.

As a result of the expiration of temporary electric and gas credits from O&R’s previous rate plan, as well as the delay in the implementation of new rates from January 1, 2025 until April 1, 2025, average monthly total electric bills for a residential customer using 600 kilowatt hours per month would increase by 4.6 percent in 2025, 3.3 percent in 2026, and 3.5 percent in 2027. Average monthly total gas bills for residential heating customers using 100 cubic feet (ccf) per month would increase by 10.9 percent in 2025, 3.5 percent in 2026, and 3.8 percent in 2027.

O&R filed its electric and natural gas investment plan with the NYSPSC on January 26, 2024. That began an extensive public review process with the NYSDPS and several interested parties, including energy industry representatives, consumer advocacy groups, environmental advocacy groups and local governments.

The new investment plan focuses on the ongoing development of O&R’s clean and resilient energy projects, additional storm hardening programs, and continuation of the company’s Energy Affordability Programs, which will provide approximately $14 million in electric bill discount credits and $7 million in gas bill discount credits to low-income customers in 2025.

The three-year investment plan provides for substantial investment in the communities O&R serves in Rockland, Orange and Sullivan counties for energy efficiency, carbon emissions reduction, and the development of environmentally beneficial electrical technologies, such as electric vehicle charging infrastructure.

These investments include, but are not limited to, the West Point/Highland Falls project, which will significantly upgrade the existing O&R transmission system to help maintain system reliability and accommodate load growth in the area; the Transmission Line 705 project, which will improve service reliability across the Town of Clarkstown by providing 5.5 miles of underground transmission cable; and construction of new substations in Orange and Rockland counties.

As it relates to gas service, the investment plan includes natural gas-related projects associated with safety and service reliability. This includes capital and operations and maintenance spending to replace leak-prone gas pipe throughout the service territory, which will enhance safety and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Over the next three years, O&R will also deploy an additional 30,000 natural gas detectors, which are state-of-the-art remote methane leak detection technology devices.

These new rate plans are specific to covering the cost of delivering electricity and natural gas to O&R’s customers. The other components that affect the monthly electric and natural gas bills are the costs of the electricity and natural gas commodities themselves, which are set by largely unregulated market activity, and taxes and fees.

About O&R

Orange and Rockland Utilities, Inc. (O&R) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Consolidated Edison, Inc., one of the nation’s largest investor-owned energy companies. O&R is a regulated utility that provides electric service to approximately 300,000 customers in southeastern New York State (where its franchise name is Orange and Rockland Utilities) and northern New Jersey (where it’s Rockland Electric Company), and natural gas service to approximately 140,000 customers in New York.