You would think that after the year that Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corp had in 2024, the utility company, which is preceded by “scandal-plagued” like “swift-footed” precedes Achilles, would have waited a minute before seeking higher rates for its 315,000 electricity and 90,000 gas customers in New York’s Hudson Valley.

Central Hudson wanted a one-year increase that would net them $47.2 million more in revenue, including an 8.8 percent increase in how much they could charge for electricity delivery. They got a three-year deal that would net them $143.7 million. One year earlier, a billing crisis led to a $62.59 million settlement with New York State. US Representative Pat Ryan called the errors—like automatic withdrawals for bills ten times regular payments—the result of “gross incompetence” and “corporate greed.” That same year, the CEO of Fortis, the Canadian conglomerate that owns Central Hudson, reportedly earned in the realm of $14.4 million after bonuses.…