For many on Long Island, the first complaint is often taxes.

However, there are other bills that keep going up – including what you are paying to heat your home.

News 12 has an exclusive look at a new report detailing the staggering increase National Grid bills.

Below is the analysis of rate hikes on Long Island and the Rockaway Peninsula from the office of Rep. Ritchie Torres:

This bill would amend the Public Service Law to establish a new State Office of the Utility Consumer Advocate (UCA), within the Department of Public Service (DPS), to represent the interests of residential utility customers. Under the bill, the UCA would be appointed to a six-year term, granted discretion in determining which interests are to be represented, and authorized to initiate, intervene, or participate in state, local or federal regulatory or judicial proceedings on behalf of residential ratepayers. The UCA would also be authorized to represent the interests of residential customers before any agency or court. Lastly, the UCA would be required to report annually to the Executive and the Legislature regarding the proceedings in which it has participated, the estimated savings to residential customers due to its participation, and submit policy recommendations and statutory amendments as deemed necessary. I support the intent of this legislation as the protection of residential consumers is a fundamental priority my administration shares with the sponsors of this bill. However, this bill would not accomplish anything in furtherance of that goal. Instead, it would establish a superfluous construct that is duplicative of existing state programs and services which serve to protect residential customers, at significant cost. The DPS Office of Consumer Services (OCS) provides both residential and nonresidential consumers with a platform to raise any and all issues related to utility service, assisting customers by resolving complaints with the utilities and closely coordinating with external stakeholders representing consumer interests. Furthermore, the Utility Intervention Unit (UIU) of the Division of Consumer Protection, at the Department of State already serves a near-identical role more broadly for both residential and nonresidential consumers. The proposed UCA would either be duplicative of UIU's existing functions, or else require UIU to abrogate a significant role to the new office, which would be further complicated because residential and small commercial customers often share the same utility service class and have common interests. Additionally, I am signing legislation that requires at least one Commissioner of Public Service to have experience in utility consumer advocacy, which will also protect the interests of consumers at the PSC. Fundamentally, enactment of this legislation would not expand current consumer protections available to utility customers in New York, but would instead expend significant state resources to establish a new and redundant state entity. Accordingly, I am constrained to veto this bill.

“National Grid is committed to delivering safe, reliable energy to millions of New Yorkers, and enabling economic development across the state. Maintaining a focus on affordability is a key element of that commitment. We understand that our customers are feeling the pain of inflation in their everyday expenses, and we are taking action to control costs while maintaining safe and reliable service. At National Grid, we care deeply about our customers and communities and we are committed to a partnership with all of our stakeholders to find practical solutions that provide immediate relief to customers while ensuring long term energy security and reliability."