NEW YORK (WABC) — Relief may be on the way from the from bitter cold, but when it comes to utility bills, the damage may already be done.
Con Edison and National Grid are being blunt about spiking energy costs and have said that customers’ energy bills may be more than they are used to seeing.
It’s the last thing customers want to hear, but experts say utilities like ConEd have good reason to charge more.
But that doesn’t mean there aren’t ways to minimize the pain.
The bone chilling cold has knocked out power for four days for hundreds of ConEd customers in Bushwick.
And now to add insult to injury, the company is sending letters and emails to customers trying to prepare them what may be record-breaking energy bills to match the record-breaking cold.
“The demand for energy supply has significantly increased across the area that’s been impacted by the extreme cold,” the letter reads in part. “That’s driven up the cost of natural gas across New York state and the region.”
Customers in Brooklyn say the money should flow the other way, but experts say utilities across the state and the nation are facing the same pressure.
“Supply costs are up, delivery rates are also going up in the case of Con Edison specifically, and the weather, this winter has been very cold,” said Ian Donaldson with the Public Utility Law Project.
But that doesn’t mean customers don’t have options.
According to The Public Utility Law Project, for low-income customers, there’s the home energy assistance program, which can bring relief in the form of federally funded grants.
New York State also has an energy affordability program which can save you up to $50 a month on a monthly bill.
There’s also a new expanded New York State energy eligibility program for non-low income customers.
But as for the rates, expect them to keep rising.
“ConEd did just get a rate increase approved by the Public Service Commission that will begin to hit people’s bills this coming February, this month, and then again next February and the February after that it will go up,” Donaldson said.
Con Edison didn’t tell customers how much more to expect in their bills but National Grid is warning customers it can be close to a 10% bump.
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