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Westchester Residents Face Higher Gas, Electric Bills

NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) - The rules of supply and demand have sent gas and electric bills in Westchester County surging.

As WCBS 880's Sean Adams reported, the trend is not expected to change as demand continues to rise.

Westchester Residents Face Higher Gas, Electric Bills

One New Rochelle resident said he had sticker shock when he opened his electric bill this month.

"We used to pay like $150, it went up to $225 this month," resident Rudy Bavore told Adams. "Most of my light bulbs now are LEDs."

The utilities have not increased the costs. Rather, natural gas is a commodity and in this frigid winter, the wholesale price of natural gas has hit record levels.

Parts of the deep south have needed heat this winter and pipelines to the northeast are strained.

In Westchester County compared to a year ago, electric bills are up nearly 22 percent and natural gas has risen 16.5 percent, according to the Journal News.

Con Edison offers customers a level payment plan option to spread out the cost over 12 months, but notes very few customers take advantage of that option.

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