Long Islanders could be paying more to stay warm this winter as heating bills are expected to rise.

According to National Grid, residents can expect to pay 26% more than in 2020.

Syosset resident Babli Lungani says she and her husband are heated up about the rate increase.

“We were really angry,” Lungani says. “It’s beyond ridiculous.”

National Grid says ratepayers will see an average increase of $215 over the winter or $43 a month.

Economics professor and analyst Marty Melkonian says a lot of wells were shut down at low prices in 2020 and a lot of producers stopped producing, causing a cutback in supply.

“Rates should be adjusted so that people at modest incomes will be able to get their share of natural gas and that as you consume a good deal more, you should pay higher rates,” Melkonian says.

National Grid released a statement, saying “We want our customers to know that natural gas market conditions both here and abroad are impacting utilities like National Grid across the country. We encourage customers to reach out to us if they’re experiencing hardships as we have extensive energy efficiency and billing support programs to help them manage their energy costs.”

Melkonian says it’s possible the rate increase can go even higher than National Grid is saying.