New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said Tuesday she is asking the state Department of Public Service to scrutinize proposed rate hikes from New York State Electric and Gas (NYSEG) and the Rochester Gas and Electric Corporation (RG&E).

RG&E is proposing a preliminary increase of 26% per month for electricity and 22.2% for natural gas, which would just be for delivery, not the whole bill, the company says. NYSEG is proposing a 33.5% increase for natural gas and 23.7% increase for electric.

“At a time when New Yorkers are struggling to meet everyday costs, New York State Electric and Gas (NYSEG) and the Rochester Gas and Electric Corporation (RG&E) must find a way to avoid these unacceptably high rate hikes,” Hochul said in a statement. “I am calling on the Department of Public Service to scrutinize these proposals to ensure these companies have the resources to keep our energy grid going but are not making additional profit off the backs of ratepayers.”

Alexis Arnold, communications manager for NYSEG and RG&E, told Spectrum News 1 that these rates are far from finalized numbers.

“The process for a rate case is long and the numbers at the beginning will be very different by the end. This is what we need to pay for the costs of investments from state policies and mandates, cover past costs, and modernize the grid and increase capacity for a stronger New York,” Arnold said.