Shocking Audit Exposes NYSEG & RG&E's Customer Service Failures – What's Next?

Major Audit Reveals Critical Issues at NYSEG and RG&E

A recent state audit has uncovered significant operational and customer service shortcomings at NYSEG and RG&E, two major utilities owned by Avangrid. The audit, which includes nearly 130 recommendations, highlights several areas of concern:

• Asset Management: Under-spending has led to poor electric reliability performance.
• Customer Service Outsourcing: Inaccuracies in performance metrics and prolonged estimated meter readings.
• Cybersecurity: Potential vulnerabilities in their systems.

Key Findings

The audit revealed:

• Billing Issues: Problems with maintaining customer billing records and procedures.
• Emergency Response: Non-compliance with regulated requirements for reporting gas leak or emergency response times.

Community Outcry

Michi Wenderlich of Metro Justice voiced community frustrations:

"Our community is really suffering. We need the basic answers of how much money we could save and how much money we could keep in our community, rather than sending to a foreign multinational corporation."

Utility Companies Respond

NYSEG and RG&E have acknowledged the audit and stated:

"We respect the hard work of the Public Service Commission (PSC)... Our customer service and billing performance has seen significant improvement... Hundreds of new team members have been added, less than one percent of the 3 million bills issued require any adjustments, and customer service has slashed wait times to less than 30 seconds."

Next Steps

The companies must respond to the alleged violations by June 9 and submit a plan for improvements by June 18.