Josh Durso

What happens when your municipality can’t afford market rate anymore? Whether we’re talking about employees or housing, that question points to a fundamental problem that warrants more than the “Well, we just have to make do with less” attitude that surfaces nearly every time the subject comes up at a meeting. That, well, we just can’t afford to pay what talented people are earning elsewhere, so we’ll keep pushing forward.

How many times can a company fail before we’re allowed to call it what it is? Because that’s where we’re at with New York’s utility companies. For years, residents have watched their electric bills climb. For years, local governments have been told growth is coming. For years, developers have been encouraged to build housing. For years, state leaders have pushed electrification, data centers, and economic development projects that require more power.

Last month a temporary rate hike went into effect for NYSEG and RG&E customers across Upstate New York, as the state’s Public Service Commission weighs a rate case that would see customer bills rise significantly more. Every time utility rates make it into a headline, a seemingly obvious question crops up quickly: Why don’t local communities just create their own electric utility? It’s a fair question. After all, New York already has municipal electric systems.