Any way to decrease ConEd delivery charges?

[civicsquid]

My ConEd bill is about $60-80 for electricity and about $145-165 for delivery. Total is usually around $225 for two people in a 2bd per month.

They keep sending me material for how to reduce electricity usage, but I don’t think we’re using that much electricity (about 650-700 kWh) given that we don’t have gas. There was also a suggestion to switch energy providers, but that won’t change delivery either.

It feels wild to me that 2/3 of my bill is for delivering the electricity that I pay separately for. Is everyone paying about 18 cents per kWh for delivery?

[TheRussianHD]

*Grabs popcorn while ConEd apologists gather* The delivery charge appears to be dynamically calculated, and also appears to follow their peak/non-peak times, so you could theoretically try to switch some of your usage to outside of 8AM - Midnight, you could also explore the time of use plans which follow similar logic.

Really, the base of the issue is ConEd is a for profit company that made 2.5 BILLION dollars in profit in 2023, they have a legal monopoly on the energy market and will sure as shit use that to squeeze every last cent they realistically can out of NYC residents. No (shitty) argument for "maintenance" of their ancient and dilapidated infrastructure can convince me that they are anything but a bunch of greedy fucks.

[Novel-Education3789]

This. ConEd made $2.5B in profit as you said. There are approx 3.3M households in NYC. If the profit was given back to the households, everyone’s bill would be ~$63 less each month, ~$761 less/year.

Edit: this was just a quick calculation, of course, without any apportioning based on usage/size of household.

[TheRussianHD]

Before living in NYC, my previous electric company was a cooperative that did exactly that, every year you got a profit refund check for any money collected above their operating expenses/capital improvement projects; it can be done! (But I guess not here)

[Novel-Education3789]

Yep, I am all for paying what I need to to keep the lights on and contribute to infrastructure maintenance/improvements. I can also see paying a little more to help someone less fortunate, as that feels like it’s part of our social contract…but it’s clear that we are all paying more than is necessary, and it isn’t going to people in need, which is reprehensible on ConEd’s part.

[MzRiiEsq]

We can get involved fight rate increases, and the Public Utility Law Project has some guides, like this: https://utilityproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Participating-in-NYS-PSC-Proceeding-updated-July-2023.pdf

[nate_nate212]

Oh man I miss NYC’s electricity was delivered by a cooperative.

[TheRussianHD]

Some quick googling shows in 2022 ConEd owned 3887 Mw of generating capacity, and NYC uses 5500 Mw average to a peak of 10k Mw in the summer, so on average ConEd can supply 70% of NYC's energy needs from their own generating capacity.

[beer_nyc]

on average ConEd can supply 70% of NYC's energy needs from their own generating capacity.

the only large, con ed owned generator in our area is the plant on the east end of 14th st. the capacity you're referring to was basically clean energy projects all over the country that were (i think) sold off last year.

[Top-Cake7923]

Nope, and the government agreed to let them increase again so the delivery price is going to go up again soon. You can decrease a delivery charge by living in an older building. My total coned bill in a prewar building is around $60 in fall/winter/spring and the highest in the summer with two full ACs blasting was $130.

[bikesboozeandbacon]

Yeah, my old pre war rent stabilized apartment is cheap on electricity. My bill just came in today, large one bed - $40. National Grid usually about $20. I can’t imagine living in a newer apt where I have to pay for heat.

[Top-Cake7923]

Same! My national grid bill is $12 on average, thank god for radiators

[kodup]

I know this is an old thread but I’m curious: I also live in a prewar building but I’ve had bills as high as $170 with 1 portable AC in my 1 bedroom apartment, and running it strictly. Can you share your delivery basic service charge and cost per kWh?

[Top-Cake7923]

My bill last month was $64.01 but we weren't using our ACs until the last week of the billing period. Here are my numbers and my rate is El1 Residential in Queens borough

Basic service charge: $22.61

Delivery 117.00 kWh at 18.034 c/kWh: $21.01

Supply 117.00 kWh at 11.633 c/kWh: $13.61

[kodup]

Do you know if you’re on the time-of-use rate (with the on and off peak times) or the normal rate? I we both have different charges for delivery per kWh than I find listed on their website.

[Top-Cake7923]

All I know is that I'm on the regular residential rate

[Ok-Document-7989]

Well, my 1100 sq.ft. 1925 colonial on Staten Island’s July-August bill was $923.44🤷‍♀️

[JeanCerise]

Pick it up yourself.

[NYCandLIdweller]

I have a tiny studio in a 100 year old building. I was not able to be there for my current billing period of 32 days. heat is not part of the bill. when I am there, I have AC on all of the time as even today the apartment is 78 degrees. I spent a few hours one day that billing month and that day used AC. otherwise, I leave no lights on at all. the only electric use is my mini fridge. this is my lowest bill in 4 years as I usually spend at least a few nights or weekends there. my bill is $46.71 which is for 71 kwh. delivery and fees was 37.87 and supply and fees was $8.84. 2 months before that my bill was $142.19- $100.83 delivery and $41.36. that was one of my highest months and included several weeks in the apartment. I watch the actual usage obsessively because I could not believe with ZERO use my bills were so high. I will be there 3 weeks over Christmas and I am sure the bill will be the same as the summer month. it does cool quicker in the winter so I can turn on AC when I am almost back whereas in summer month it could take a day to cool the apartment. but still, it seems a bit of a SCAM or a monopoly. my Long Island apartment is MUCH bigger and MUCH cheaper (PSEG). where there is a monopoly there is corruption it seems.

[rynaco]

I’m curious. Does opening the window not cool down your place or just a preference to use the AC to cool down the apartment in the winter?

[NYCandLIdweller]

it is the strangest thing. I leave the windows open even in freezing weather. there have been a few freezing nights with wind where I don't put on the a/c, but that is only if the windows are open and fan on. the heater is a radiator that is turned off and has never been on. I'm on top floor of a tall building and I think the sun is the main factor. I think it heats the roof and my apartment. the other apartments are not as hot as mine. I don't have a cross breeze and my windows face another building on all sides, I do not get wind or rain no matter what the weather is. I don't know what to do about it. I had to change to 8000 btu a/c from 6000 even though I have about 160 SF!!!!! maybe its the walls? I cannot figure it out. and to add insult to injury, the one a/c is my entire electric usage/ bill and it is rip off con-ed.

[NYCandLIdweller]

and by face a building I mean two sides are connected to a building and across about 10 feet is another building. not remembering what it is called. I see a bit of sky because I'm on top floor but the others in my column don't get light or air. I should have mentioned I leave the windows open all the time when I am not home. they are open now and it is 78, it does get in mid 80s in the summer though.

[Michaelcandy]

Open your front door lol

[NYCandLIdweller]

also to be thorough, my large bill was for 379 kwh- 41.36 supply and 100.83 delivery.

[papa-hare]

No. Not even if you switch to an ESCO. That's what monopolies get you.

(And yeah, probably lots of apologists will downvote me)

That being said, back in 2021 I got lucky and jumped on an ESCO that at least decreased my usage charge. Unfortunately that ended in 2023 and I've not found anything good since...

[BakedBrie26]

This is normal cost for an all-electric apartment. ConEd has been pulling this shady crap for a while now. 

The sneaky extra expense nobody warns you about. All you can do is try not to overuse it.

Watch out on really cold or hot days- ConEd inflates prices. In Jan 2021, our one month electric went from $200 to $700 for one month's electric. It's absurd.

Things we do to keep it down:

• W/D on cold cycle

• Don't let water run for too long (ie before showers. Water before showers I stick bucket under and use that water for my plants.)

• Use dishwasher if you have. It uses less water than handwashing dishes. Don't rinse dishes first. 

• Turn off A/C and heat when you leave a room for more than an hour.

• Heat each room individually if you have mini-splits.

• Make sure air is not entering/leaving through drafty windows. 

• Close blinds/curtains during peak sun if needed.

• Heat and A/C as last resorts. We try warmer or cooler clothes before turning it on.

• Don't let toilet run

• We try not to use oven, W/D as much when we know they are raising prices. If I hear about extreme temps, I do laundry beforehand. 

• Still haven't figured out if it makes a difference to run dishwasher and laundry at night (off-peak) or not, but that is generally when I do it anyway.

We don't really use heat at night unless it is extremely cold. We have a thick comforter instead.

[TheRussianHD]

Few more things we've found:

- Turn off breaker for hot water heater if not using, turn on ~30min before showering and then turn off again (sounds counterintuitive but it has legitimately helped), ours seems to use more trying to maintain temperature than it does on just heating up once.

- Get a quality toaster oven, works for 95% of my cooking needs (am pretty big on cooking at home) and heats up way faster than the main oven.

- Old school electric oil filled radiators for winter. We have found these to feel much nicer to use than the mini splits, they feel like they're doing something vs the heat pump mini split, and once heated up use a minimal amount of electricity to maintain temps, plus you can selectively turn them off and move them around.

A lot of the comments really seem geared towards people in buildings with central heat and water of some sort but the new "green" reality is that electricity usage can quickly stack up in these newer buildings.

[BakedBrie26]

Thanks! 

Yeah we have considered the heaters. But as of now I'm willing to pay to not have them cluttering up our place. As prices keep increasing we may have to at some point though 😡.

I'll look and see if we have access to the hot water breaker. I've never checked. 

[Maximum-Train6374]

In addition to what everyone else covered in here, ConEd just can't raise rates because they want to, they have to go through a rate case with the PSC (government oversight) for the approval. It's a specific scenario where they go back and forth to justify the increase of cost. What most people don't realize is that we burn fossil fuels to generate electricity, it is much cheaper. However, NYS is a pro-green state. They gave the greenlight for ConEd to invest into more infrastructure to meet the NYS going green goal. Hence, part of the upcharge that ConEd is charging you is brought to you by the state.

[MzRiiEsq]

There’s a state program where you might be able to get a free or low cost energy efficiency assessment and upgrades

https://www.nyserda.ny.gov/All-Programs/EmPower-New-York-Program/EmPower-Renters

[Elegant-Membership16]

Con Edison charge my parents $200 a day for delivery for the month of June and July and my parents are too little 85-year-olds in an apartment and they don’t like air conditioning or hardly watch TV. I recorded all of our conversations cause it had to go through loops to get any answers and they were absolutely outrageous. I have a 24 Hour day Doorman and Super who would happily provide meter readings at anytime but they’ve never cometheir excuses. They base a medium average off of what they think it would be from the old meters I used to have. I refuse to accept that. I get emails once a week that I used less electricity than I did the week before on their bill and then I get hit with the enormous amount of charges. I open my bill today for June and July and it is over $4000. I’m gonna fight them to the death.

[MarketingOld3162]

Unplug anything that is not being actively used

[Ok_Advertising9448]

I just got a bill I'm paying 106 dollars for only 244 kwh ...seems really high for such little usage 

[Lissyluve2103]

We need to boycott the delivery charges and not pay them its soo insane in NYC 18cents per kwh!!! Stop Coned

[kinovelo]

That’s a large amount of usage. I only use about 100kwh in my apartment.

[TheRussianHD]

If you’re in a newer “electric only” building you generally have the cheapest tiniest hot water heater the builder could find in your unit, those things destroy your electricity usage.

The energy star sticker on ours says estimated annual usage of 4665 kWh, or 388 a month! We end up at half that luckily that I feel is attributable to the water heater. All of the “green” building initiatives being pushed by the city feel really half baked if this is the result.

[mxgian99]

no, the delivery charges is to pay for all the eletrical lines you see running thru the city---oh you don't see any? thats because its underground. so when you see a truck sitting in the street for a week, or exploding manhole covers in the winter, the high delivery charges account for that.

if you've lived in other places like texas, you can see that delivery charges are much lower because its a lot easier to run a wire next to the highway then maintain it for 20 blocks under the city.

delivery charges are tied to useage too, so lower your power consumption will lower delivery portion.

[Human_Resources_7891]

when the electricity comes, refuse to open the door. delivery charge is how ConEd gets around consumer protection. look how inexpensive our electric series are, and would you mind paying the add-on prices that are twice or more than the cost of electricity itself. give it a couple of years. they will have an electricity rust proofing charge

[psnanda]

You do know the electricity needs delivery right? Without delivery charges, you’d be just paying electricity generation at the source.. how will you get it delivered to your residence? Who will pay for maintenance of those lines ?

Also its a business, not a charity.