New York, NY —

If there's a blackout this summer, residents and businesses who lose food and medicine will be eligible for assistance from Con Ed. Households can apply for up to $450 and businesses can apply for up to $9,000. The current limit is $350 and $7,000.

REPORTER: Queens Councilman James Gennaro thinks that increase might not be enough, based on the losses suffered during last summer's blackout.

GENNARO: I'm just not getting the way the Public Service Commission operates. It's like they're making these effective, but they're not really sure they're going to do the job. And so they're going to study it more, look at it more, take more comment.

REPORTER: The PSC - which regulates Con Ed - approved the reimbursement rates yesterday and says it will consider public comment on whether they're sufficient.