How to Read Your Con Ed Bill
How to Read Your NYSEG Bill
Videos
This short video gives Con Ed customers a tutorial on how they can compare what they paid with Westchester Power to what they would have paid with Con Ed and where they can find other energy service companies that serve the area.
This video covers some of the basic information relevant to the next contract in the Con Ed utility territory, beginning with the first meter reads in November, and what customers can be expecting in the coming weeks.
This video provides a quick background on Westchester Power, how the program works, and the incredible impact participants have on reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Westchester Power?
Your Community Energy Program. Westchester Power is the first – and still largest – Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) program in New York State. Using the bulk buying power of participating municipalities, we establish a new electricity supply option for consumers that features a predictable fixed rate, access to renewable energy, and a range of consumer protections.
The utility remains responsible for the delivery of energy, while Westchester Power becomes the default electricity source. Consumers continue to receive a single bill, combining both delivery and supply, from their utility provider.
Westchester Power launched in 2016, starting with 20 municipalities, and now serves 29. The program has been a successful model for other similar CCAs throughout New York State, and is a vital part of statewide and regional efforts to achieve a clean energy transition.
Does Westchester Power replace my utility?
No. Your existing utility (Con Edison or New York State Electric & Gas, depending on where you live) will continue to deliver reliable power, maintain power lines, and respond to service outages. They will still provide the same customer service to all residents regardless of whether they are in the program. They are required by law to do so. Customers will still receive only one bill each month and it will still come directly from your utility. The new bill will reflect the change in supplier and new supply rate.
How does Westchester Power procure power?
Westchester Power administered a competitive bidding process, soliciting responses from qualified New York suppliers. Constellation NewEnergy, Inc. is the supplier under the current contract for the Con Ed utility territory, and Direct Energy Services is the supplier in the NYSEG area and Yonkers.
How does the enrollment process work?
Residential and small commercial (those not charged for their peak demand) customers that currently receive electric supply from the utility are automatically enrolled. Residents or small businesses that are presently under contract with a third party electricity supply company (ESCo) are not enrolled. If you are already signed up with an ESCo, but want to switch to Westchester Power, look at the terms of your existing contract to see when it expires and what (if any) penalties apply for early termination. If you choose to terminate your contract with the ESCo, you can then Opt In to join the program.
Where does Westchester Power's renewable energy come from?
The Westchester Power renewable energy option is currently backed by 100% New York State Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs). No coal. No gas. No oil. No nuclear. It is clean energy, plain and simple. No fossil fuels. As a consequence, greenhouse gas emissions are dramatically reduced. We can celebrate our contribution to cleaner air and cleaner water. It is the right choice for our planet, for future generations, for all who care about climate change.
For the renewable energy offerings, the supplier purchases renewable energy certificates (RECs) produced by hydropower resources. One REC is equal to one megawatt-hour of electricity generated from a renewable source and added to the grid. RECs are traded separately from the physical electricity through the New York Generation and Attribute Tracking System (NYGATS) and allow consumers to take credit for the renewable energy added to the grid, even though it may not be directly powering their home. Purchasing RECs helps contribute to the maintenance of renewable generating sources in New York State and promotes further development of clean energy sources.
Are there time constraints on my ability to opt out?
No. You are free to opt out at any time with no penalties whatsoever.
Is there a fee for opting out of Westchester Power?
No, there is never a fee or penalty for opting out.
What are the benefits of participation?
The fixed-rate options provide predictability and stability vs. the variable rate of the utility and protects people from spikes in rates. Our price for 100% Renewable energy is consistently very competitive in general and better than what is being offered on the market for a renewable supply product, so if a person is inclined to support renewables and make the best environmental choice with their energy, this is a great way to do that in a manner that is also contract-free for them.
Why is this program opt-out and not opt-in?
This is the way the program is structured at the state-level. Functionally this is the same arrangement for your electricity supply that you have always had, where before your default option was Con Edison or NYSEG and if you wanted to pursue a different energy supplier from them, you would have to “opt-out” of it by pursuing an agreement with a private company. In the case of Westchester Power, unlike having Con Edison or NYSEG as your default, this program has been vetted directly by your municipal representatives and follows strict compliance oversight at state-level. There are no fees/penalties and you can opt out/in whenever you want, but functionally it is no different than your prior arrangements with utilities when they would be your default supplier you would have to proactively opt away from.
Will customers save money on their monthly bills?
The program cannot guarantee savings. The rates offered through Westchester Power are fixed, while the utility rates vary month-to-month as prices on the energy market fluctuate due to seasonal weather and other factors. Historically, the program rates have been very competitive to the utility’s annual average. Typically you will see spikes in the utility prices in Winter and Summer times when demand for electricity is high.
How can I be sure Westchester Power will provide energy consistently?
Electricity is a highly regulated industry and there are many safeguards against service interruption from supplier error. There is a “grid operator” (called the NYISO) that monitors the grid at the high-voltage level to ensure the proper power is flowing at all times. In addition, the utility remains the “provider of last resort,” which means they are obligated to serve any customers whose supplier has failed to buy the requisite power for those customers.
How do I know that the electricity I am receiving is 100% renewable?
NYSERDA oversees the purchase and allocation of renewable energy credits in NY so they verify that suppliers are meeting their obligations to customers who are buying 100% Renewable energy products. As a customer you get an annual report in one of your utility bills that summarizes your prior year’s energy use mix. Folks on the 100% supply would of course see a report that shows their purchased electricity supply is in fact that. These filings also get certified and formalized with the state. Click here to see Sustainable Westchester’s 2022 environmental disclosure label.
