Con Edison Offers Tips and Programs to Help Customers Manage Winter Energy Bills

NEW YORK – As cold weather approaches, Con Edison is offering customers tips, energy-saving programs and payment options to help them manage winter energy bills.

The best strategy for Con Edison’s 3.7 million customers is to use energy wisely and follow energy saving tips. In addition, Con Edison offers energy efficiency programs that provide incentives and rebates to customers who make energy-saving upgrades.

Con Edison recognizes that affordability is a concern for many customers and offers bill discounts and payment assistance to those who qualify. These include the Energy Affordability Program, which helps keep energy costs at or below 6 percent of average annual income. A newly enhanced statewide energy affordability policy extends eligibility to additional residential customers with incomes below the state median.

Energy supply costs can increase during the winter – particularly during long cold snaps or on the most frigid days – due to demand, as residential and business customers use more energy for heating to stay comfortable. In addition, the shorter days can bump usage up, as customers turn their lights on earlier.

If customers use electric heating, the electric portion of their bill could be higher during the winter. If customers use natural gas for heating, the gas portion of their bill would be higher. The combination of higher supply costs and increased usage causes bills to rise.

Con Edison buys energy on wholesale markets and passes those costs through to customers without markup. The company does not profit from the cost of supply. Con Edison uses a variety of strategies to help stabilize pricing for customers.

Here are some energy-saving tips:

• Get Weekly Energy Use Reports. Customers can get information on what day and time they used the most electricity by logging into their account at conEd.com/Notifications and scrolling down to sign up.
• Set thermostats at the lowest comfortable temperature. Each degree higher increases heating costs.
• Clear the area around heating vents. Carpets, furniture and other objects can block vents and prevent heated air from circulating in customers’ homes.
• Insulate hot-water pipes and warm-air ducts that pass through unheated areas. Clean or replace filters for furnaces and heat pumps. Have a qualified contractor clean and inspect heating systems.
• When the sun is shining, open shades on south-facing windows. Close the shades at night.
• Take showers instead of baths. Showers use half as much water as baths. Less hot water means less energy usage.
• Wash clothes in cold water to avoid using energy to heat the water.
• Customers can maximize efficiency and improve comfort with proper insulation and air sealing. They can save energy and money year-round. Learn more about New York State’s Comfort Home program. Old or improperly installed insulation can lead to a loss of up to 30 percent of a home’s heating.

During the coldest days of winter or prolonged cold spells, Con Edison may ask customers to conserve energy to help maintain reliable service for everyone.

Programs to Help Customers Manage Energy Costs
Con Edison’s payment assistance options include budget billing, which smooths a customer’s costs throughout the year and helps avoid seasonal spikes.

The company also offers payment plans for customers who fall behind on their bills. It is important for customers to contact the company early and not wait until the arrears pile up.

Con Edison offers protections during cold weather and payment programs for seniors, households with children, people with disabilities and households with someone who uses life-support equipment and have registered with the company.

Customers can learn more about energy-saving tips, rebates and payment assistance at conEd.com.

Con Edison is a subsidiary of Consolidated Edison, Inc. [NYSE: ED], one of the nation’s largest investor-owned energy companies. The utility delivers electricity, natural gas and steam, and serves 3.7 million customers in New York City and Westchester County, NY. For financial, operations and customer service information, visit conEd.com.