Metro Justice, a community advocacy group in Rochester, N.Y., is raising concerns about a surge in utility shutoffs by Rochester Gas & Electric (RG&E), citing over 13,000 disconnections in 2024, including about 12,000 residential accounts.
RG&E contests this claim, stating that the disconnections are part of a return to standard practices resumed after a pandemic-related pause. The company revealed it is owed $200 million in delinquent payments, impacting 57% of accounts, while Metro Justice alleges RG&E made a $121 million profit in 2024.
The group is calling for a public utility study, which the Monroe County Legislature rejected in April 2024, citing that shut offs have increased since the end of the COVID-19 moratorium.