Home Heating, Electricity Bills Rising Again In Rockland

PEARL RIVER, NY — Rockland County residents continue to see large increases in their electricity bills, and February will be more expensive than January.

Homeowners and renters are being squeezed nationwide. New York isn't even in the top 10 states with the largest jumps in electricity bills over 2022, according to SaveOnEnergy, an energy market research website. In fact, New York ranked 26th among the 50 states for cost of electricity, SaveOnEnergy reported in January.

Still, Orange & Rockland Utilities now projects that, November through March, its average residential customer will pay 25.8 percent more than last winter for natural gas heating and 16.6 percent more for electricity, spokesman Mike Donovan told Patch.

The natural-gas-heat customer (using an average of 158 ccfs per month) will pay $282.95 a month from November 2022 to March 2023, up from the average bill of $224.97 per month a year earlier; and a typical O&R residential customer (using 600 kWh a month) will pay about $157.28 per month up from last winter’s $134.95 per month cost for electricity.

"Higher natural gas prices also affect the cost of electricity because power generation plants in the region run mainly on natural gas," Donovan said.

In the more immediate term, the company expects a typical O&R residential customer to have a February electric bill 6.5 percent higher than January 2023, he said; however, the gas heating bill for a typical customer is expected to be 8.3 percent lower than January 2023, according to the company’s projections.

These projections assume monthly electric use of 600 kWh for electric customers and 100 Ccf for natural gas customers.

What pushes bills higher? Two professors at the Harvard Business School said in a recent research paper that energy bills are appreciably higher in states that deregulated.

TV's Bob Vila, host of shows including "This Old House" and "Restore America With Bob Vila", put together some warnings and some tips this time last year.

Warnings

• Using your dryer a lot will raise your bill.
• Old refrigerators leak cold air.
• Electric furnaces are energy guzzlers.
• That extra refrigerator and freezer hikes your costs.
• Older incandescent bulbs use more electricity.

RELATED: These Are the Biggest Electricity Hogs in Your Home

Tips

• Change the filter on your electric furnace more frequently.
• Install new weatherstripping on exterior doors
• Caulk old windows.
• Replace the door seals or the whole refrigerator that's more than 10 years old.
• Turn your water heater's thermostat down. If it is in a garage or cold basement, it works harder to keep water hot — get it a water heater blanket.

To help deal with the rising costs, O&R offers its budget billing program, energy savings tips and more.

"Helping customers manage their energy costs is one of the most important things we do," Janette Espino, O&R’s vice president of customer service, said in a news release. "We are here to help customers select the right payment options and the energy efficiency upgrades that are right for them."

Payment Assistance

The company offers Tips for Lowering Your Energy Bill and a number of Payment Plans and Assistance, including Budget Billing, which smooths customers’ costs out throughout the year. The company also encourages customers to check out its energy efficiency incentives for upgrades customers make to their homes. Rebates, Incentives, and Tax Credits

Also, the company offers help for customers who are struggling with their bills. Orange & Rockland offers payment plans Payment Plans and Assistance, so that customers can pay off balances over time, rather than all at once.

Bill Relief

Customers who receive benefits from certain government programs may qualify for discounts on their monthly energy bills. Orange & Rockland offers information on these and other Payment Plans and Assistance it has available for customers.

Manage Energy Use

The best money-saving strategy on the monthly energy bill for Orange & Rockland’s approximately 233,000 electric and 130,000 natural gas customers is to carefully manage their usage.

Customers can save money on energy by using these tips:

• Set thermostats at the lowest comfortable temperature. Whether you are using a gas furnace or an electric heat pump, each degree lower decreases heating costs.
• Make sure heating vents are not blocked by furniture, carpeting or anything else that could obstruct the flow of heat.
• Have a qualified contractor clean and inspect your heating system.
• Insulate hot-water pipes and warm-air ducts that pass through unheated areas. Clean or replace filters for your hot-air furnace and heat-pump.
• Swap out window shades seasonally. Light-colored window coverings reflect the sun's energy, while darker ones absorb it and release heat.
• Replace conventional light bulbs with LED bulbs, which are up to 10 times more efficient and are widely available and affordable.