∼ All newly eligible residents and small businesses will be receiving a letter and an FAQ explaining the program,
your electricity supply options, and how to change supply.

NYSEG area scene - back road

Community Energy For
NYSEG-Area Municipalities

NYSEG Westchester Power program municipalities, their residents and small businesses are leading the way in the transition to clean, renewable energy.

Participating Towns

50% Renewable Supply Default
Town of Bedford, Town of Lewisboro, Town of North Salem, Town of Pound Ridge

Standard Supply Default
Town of Somers

Quick links for your energy choices

Just received a newly eligible letter?

If you just received a newly eligible letter and are not yet enrolled in the program

Click here

Existing customer or want to opt in?

If you would like to opt in, opt out, change supply,
or check your enrollment

Click here
Hydro power dam

Contract for NYSEG participants beginning December, 2023

Direct Energy is the supplier for this contract, which is in effect from the first meter reads in December of 2023 to first meter reads of December 2024 (the new rates and supplier will appear on January bills). With this contract, 50% renewable supply will be the default for Bedford, Lewisboro, North Salem, and Pound Ridge. Standard supply will be the default for Somers.

The opt-out period for the contract renewal of the program in NYSEG-area municipalities ended on November 15, 2023. As always, you can opt out or change supply at any time.

100% Renewable Supply

NY State Hydropower
Residential: 13.12¢/kWh
Small Commercial: 13.12¢/kWh

50% Renewable Supply

NY State Hydropower
Residential: 12.16¢/kWh
Small Commercial: 12.16¢/kWh

Standard Supply

Grid mix similar to utility – majority fossil fueled
Residential: 11.20¢/kWh
Small Commercial: 11.20¢/kWh

Westchester Power Basics

COLLECTIVE POWER – the community-selected default electricity supply option for 29 participating municipalities

[NYSEG remains responsible for Distribution – the infrastructure and billing]

RENEWABLE ENERGY made easily accessible, vetted, at scale; Standard supply also available

OPT-OUT FORMAT – eligible customers are enrolled in the default supply unless they take action to opt out or change supply

CONSUMER-FRIENDLY structure allows you to participate with no contracts, fees, or penalties for coming or going.

RATE STABILITY stable and predictable pricing vs the monthly variability of the utility supply

Savings are not guaranteed through this program, as we cannot predict what the utility will charge month-to-month

For more information the Dept. of Public Service has prepared this FAQ: faq-template_v2.pdf

Contacts and resources:

How to read your bill

When your electricity supply is from an Energy Service Company (ESCO) such as is the case with participation in Westchester Power, the supply charge is separated from the NYSEG distribution charge, where before they were combined. Click here for NYSEG explanation of other charges.

Comparison of NYSEG average monthly rates for current contract

Comparison of NYSEG average monthly rates from program launch

  • The NYSEG 12-month trailing average for the period January 2023 to December 2023 was
    9.2469 cents/kWh for residential customers and 9.4704 cents/kWh for small commercial customers.

Upcoming Information Sessions

Check back to see about upcoming information sessions!

 

Past Information Sessions

NYSEG Customers in: Bedford, Lewisboro, North Salem, Pound Ridge, and Somers

February 28,2024 at 12:00pm on Google Meet
February 28, 2024 at 6:30pm on Google Meet
November 6, 2023 at 6:30pm at the Somers Library – click here to watch the recording

Sesión de Información Comunitaria en Español
1 de noviembre a las 6:30pm en Zoom – haga clic aquí para ver la grabación

November 1st at 6:30pm at the Bedford Hills Community Center – click here to watch the recording
October 25th at 5:00pm at the Pound Ridge Library – click here to watch the recording
October 19th at 6:30pm at the North Salem Community Center – click here to watch the recording
October 18th at 6:30pm at the Lewisboro Library – click here to watch the recording
July 20, 2023 @ 6:30 at the Katonah Library – click here to watch the recording
July 12, 2023 @ 6:30pm at the Lewisboro Library – click here to watch the recording
July 11, 2023 @ 6:30pm at the Somers Library – click here to watch the recording
July 6, 2023 @ 6:30pm at the Pound Ridge Library – click here to watch the recording
June 29, 2023 @ 6:30pm at the Ruth Keeler Memorial Library – click here to watch the recording
June 13, 2023 at 7:30pm: Presentation at North Salem Town Board Meeting – watch the recording here
June 12, 2023 at 7:30pm: Presentation at Lewisboro Town Board Meeting – watch the recording here
June 8, 2023 at 7pm: Presentation at Somers Town Board Meeting – watch the recording here
June 6, 2023 at 8pm: Presentation at Pound Ridge Town Board Meeting – watch the recording here
June 6, 2023 at 6pm: Presentation at Bedford Town Board Meeting – watch the recording here

March 8th 2023
@ Noon NYSEG Customers Public Information Session Westchester Power – watch the recording here
@ 7pm NYSEG Customers Public Information Session Westchester Power – watch the recording here 

March 1st Enrollment Period Information Sessions
Tuesday 1/31/2023
NYSEG @ 12 Noon on Zoom
NYSEG @ 7:00pm on Zoom

Sesión de Información Comunitaria en Español
jueves 2/2/2023 a las 7:00pm on Zoom

Questions?
Email westchesterpower@sustainablewestchester.org.
Call 914-242-4725 x134

Outreach and Education Records

2024
2023
2022
2021
2020

Continued Commitment To Clean Energy

Since 2016, the Westchester Power Community Energy program has helped municipalities in the NYSEG service territory increase the use of renewable energy, leverage the collective purchasing power of its residents to control costs and provide insurance against fluctuations in electricity supply costs.

The 2022-2023 contract positions us to continue Westchester leadership in progress toward a clean energy transition.

Renewable program participants annually mitigate 219,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide, which is the equivalent of taking 49,000 cars off the road for a year!

For more about how Westchester Power fits into the clean energy transition click here.

A Community Energy Platform

The large scale of the program enables us to attract new opportunities for increased environmental impact and potential savings. These include:

Community Solar – You can help put more clean energy on the grid and save money at the same time by subscribing to a large solar farm through Sustainable Westchester’s Community Solar program. Currently, participation requires a separate signup process and a two bill system (your electric bill and a separate solar credits bill). NY State has required Con Ed and other utilities to include Community Solar on the electric bill, which means that the program will be able to deliver solar discount credits directly without a separate bill.

This has very exciting implications for our ability to engage and provide benefits to low income households.

Solar developers have taken particular interest and this should stimulate more projects in Westchester. Meanwhile, you can subscribe today and save up to 10% on your electric bill.

Let’s Talk Clean Energy

Why clean energy? By now, everyone has heard of climate change, but it’s not always easy to make the connection to our daily lives. Our energy choices are, however, linked to many of the most serious challenges that we face these days, as well as the question of what kind of future we leave our children.

Most of our electricity is still generated by burning fossil fuels which release greenhouse gases into our atmosphere. This has contributed to our environment’s degradation, increasing temperatures and local effects such as more frequent higher intensity storms and changes in seasonal patterns. Here’s a short video about the greenhouse effect which is responsible for this problem.

Solar, wind, and hydropower are emissions-free sources of energy. New York State has an aggressive plan to switch over to these clean energy sources and away from fossil fuels. Westchester communities have taken the lead in these efforts, and now dozens of NY communities have followed with similar programs.

Clean Energy Implications
for Westchester County

Our communities need to move away from fossil fuel-powered electricity quickly to help mitigate the challenges associated with Climate Change. A transformation towards clean-powered electricity is entirely possible.

Westchester Power communities can help accelerate this transition, promoting the generation of clean energy, as well as sending signals to electricity generators, investors, and governments that we place a high priority on ensuring a sustainable and healthy future.

Our energy choices and COVID 19

Studies are showing that areas with higher levels of pollution see worse outcomes from COVID 19. Many observers have pointed out the similarities in the challenges since both require collective, long-term action to solve.

Sea Level Rise

Over the past century, the Hudson has risen about a foot due to global warming (see this Scenic Hudson article), threatening households and habitats. This map shows how the Yonkers waterfront may fare over this century. We can reduce the impact and costs by taking strong action to reverse the growth of greenhouse gases.

Temperature Rise & Disparate Impacts

By the year 2100, on our current trajectory, New York starts to look more like Florida (Climate Central):

But like so many of the effects of global warming, the impact can vary greatly. Groundwork Hudson Valley has done amazing work to go one step further and show how the practice of Redlining has amplified the environmental justice aspect of the problem through the creation of “heat islands” [read more here]:

More resources about local climate change impacts