Larry Rulison is reporting in the Times Union National Grid and state Public Service Commission staffers began closed-door settlement talks last week over the utility's request to raise gas and electric rates for upstate customers by $331 million a year. Talks were set to begin last Tue., Sep. 19, at National Grid's regional headquarters building in Albany. A series of evidentiary hearings the PSC planned to hold starting in October are now scheduled to begin Nov. 6, and the new rate plan would go into effect in May of 2018 instead of April. The utility company's proposal would raise the monthly bill for the typical gas and electric customer by roughly $17. The settlement sessions with National Grid are not open to the public, and the 69 parties scheduled to participate and attend the meetings must sign confidentiality agreements. A vote on the rate increases by the PSC board is expected to happen in April. Read the full story in the Times Union.