The chair of the state Public Service Commission has approved an order that allows National Grid to delay implementing a rate increase for electric and gas service customers, including those in St. Lawrence County, that was scheduled to take effect April 1.

National Grid’s upstate services will postpone an April 1 electric delivery rate increase of $89.6 million and a gas delivery rate increase of $21.5 million until July 1. This will impact approximately 1.6 million electric customers and 640,000 gas customers in National Grid’s upstate service territory, said a press release from the PSC.

By agreeing to postpone the rate increases, National Grid upstate will delay the impact these increases would have on its customers during this difficult time, PSC said.

National Grid upstate is also maintaining the current benefits that low-income customers receive.

National Grid upstate will waive fees associated with certain collection-related activities, including customer disconnections, and non-essential services, such as manual meter reads, that have been suspended as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The postponement joins other utility actions designed to reduce the impact COVID-19 is having on utility customers, the press release said.

The state’s major electric and gas utilities — Con Edison, National Grid, Central Hudson, Orange and Rockland, New York State Electric and Gas, Rochester Gas and Electric, PSEG Long Island and National Fuel Gas — and major private water companies have suspended shut-offs for customers, and offered assistance to customers impacted by COVID-19 who may be experiencing financial hardship, PSC said.