Paul Kirby is reporting for the Daily Freeman Central Hudson will increase electricity and gas delivery charges this summer in the midst of complaints of skyrocketing bills, Public Service Commission investigations and a public relations campaign by the utility. The delivery charges, approved by the Public Service Commission, are set to increase in July. In November, the commission approved a delivery rate plan for Central Hudson that runs through June 2024. The utility sent a notice to customers on March 29, explaining that the July increase in delivery charges was a part of the state-approved rate plan. The slight decrease in electric delivery charges and the 1.2 percent increase in gas delivery charges were prorated to make up for the period between July and December when a final ruling by state regulators was pending. Under the plan approved by the commission, the estimated impact on an average customer is an annual cost of about $64 more in 2024 than now. Energy prices are likely to go up through the end of this year, due to a recovering economy, energy supply constraints, strong energy demands and global events, including the war in Ukraine, the company added. The PSC said Central Hudson initially proposed delivery rates designed to increase revenue by about $32.8 million per year for electricity and $14.4 million per year for natural gas. Those proposals would have driven up customer rates for electricity delivery by 6.2 percent and gas delivery by 8 percent, the PSC said. Read the full story in the Daily Freeman.