The following is an extended version of the story that recently appeared in our latest print edition.

Was your ConEd bill higher than average this month? Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14) has asked residents to check. The lawmaker wrote, in a recent social media post, that Con Edison reported that bill increases are due to high demand for natural gas in winter, plus price fluctuations in the energy market. Meanwhile, she said local elected officials have asked the company to review its billing practices and improve its purchasing practices of natural gas. Norwood News recently interviewed a number of local residents about their ConEd bills and general electricity usage to get an idea of the scope of the issue.

 

Norwood resident, Chris Perkins, said he had heard about bill increases on the news. “I’d heard about some people had bills that went up like $200 to $300,” he said. “Mine wasn’t that extreme. Mine went up about $50, but that could just be my [increased] usage over the last month, but I don’t feel it was such a huge jump.”

 

Perkins continued, “If it goes up again next month then I will realize that something else is happening. It was $150, I usually pay about $100 a month and it usually fluctuates between $90 and $110.”

 

Meanwhile, another University Heights resident, who chose not to disclose her name and who uses her washer and dryer three times a week, said she’s noticed a 60 percent increase over recent years.

 

Norwood News also reached out to ConEd directly for further context, and amid reports that the installation of certain new meters may be the cause of the recent price hikes. Jamie McShane, director of media relations at ConEd, responded, affirming what the congresswoman had already reported. “The changes in customer bills are mainly due to the supply cost of the energy commodity,” he said. “Natural gas is a driver of electricity costs as it is used by generation plants to create electricity.”

 

McShane said Con Edison doesn’t make a profit on the commodity. “We buy the energy on the wholesale market and provide it to customers at the same price we paid [for it],” he said. “Energy prices are volatile and can be affected by factors such as weather, demand, and economic trends.”

 

He added that Con Edison does not generate electricity, nor can it manage the financial practices of the private power generators or suppliers of natural gas. “Con Edison is seeking the ability to generate renewable energy in New York State for our customers which would shift our dependence away from natural gas and this volatility,” McShane said.

 

Digna Nuñez, also from University Heights, lives with her son and was asked about her bills in the context of her usage of her main electrical appliances. “Already the washing machine is starting to become expensive,” she said. Asked how often she uses it, she said three times a week. “Imagine, before I was paying $70 and after, it increased for me. Now, I am paying almost $200,” she said. Nuñez said she also uses a dryer. Overall, she said her bill has gone up by more than 70 percent.

 

Christina Alvarado is a Fordham Manor resident, living on Marion Street with her mother. She said she uses her washing machine and dryer once or twice a week, and said her bill has increased over the last two years. “It’s increased in price maybe, like, a couple of hundred,” Alvarado said. “In recent times, I am talking about. It went from, like, I would say $100 and something to $300 and something.” She said she also watches the TV, but doesn’t know how much that contributes to her bill.

 

Another action taken by ConEd, according to McShane, is addressing the increase in energy supply costs, and its impact on its customers. “We are reviewing all of our practices that affect customer supply costs, including our energy-buying practices, the tools we use to reduce supply price volatility, the way we communicate changes in supply prices, and our programs to help customers who have fallen behind on their bills,” he said.

Trouble with your utility bill? Join us on Monday, March 7 at 6 PM for the @NYenergydem’s #UtilityDebt Roundtable with @agreenewyork, @saneenergy, & @nycpa. Hear testimony & talk about how we can cancel utility debt in New York State. RSVP: https://t.co/arL7TBgp12 pic.twitter.com/bUBEfy82I9

— WE ACT for EJ (@weact4ej) February 25, 2022

 

According to McShane, another factor contributing to consumer bill increases is consumption. “December was mild, January was very cold, and usage jumped sharply,” he said. “We have found the meters we’re installing are accurate. Customers should contact us directly to address any questions about their bill,” he added.

 

On Wednesday, Feb. 23, Public Advocate Jumanne Williams joined activists and elected leaders to call for emergency utility debt relief after the recent spike reported in ConEd bills which he said many New Yorkers struggled to pay amid the ongoing pandemic. The group called on utility providers and the State to protect consumers against the recent increases and renewed the public advocate’s call for public controlled power.

 

Meanwhile, Ocasio-Cortez provided the following recommendations to constituents of what they could do to address their increased bill costs:

• Request a reading of your electric meter: you can request an investigation if you believe that more electricity consumption is being recorded than you think you are using. Call ConED at 1-800-752-6633.
• ConED Assistance Programs: visit www.conEd.com/PaymentPlans to view their payment program and other types of assistance.
• Apply for help paying your bill: the Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) helps eligible families. Contact the HEAP Information Line at (800) 692.0557 with questions about the program, or (212) 331.3126 for help from an operator.

The congresswoman also encouraged residents to contact NYS Department of Public Service (DPS) to inform State officials about how ConEd’s bill increases are affecting them. “File a complaint with DPS that your bill has skyrocketed recently, and request an investigation of the company. Call 1.800.342.3377 or file online at dps.ny.gov/complaints,” she said.

 

Another consumer affected by a recent increase in her ConEd bill was April Beazeo, a Fordham Heights resident who lives alone and who said her electricity bill went up by about $80 last month. “I used to pay $62 and last month my bill went to $165,” she said, adding that she doesn’t use her washing machine that often. “Maybe once a month,” she said. She doesn’t have a dryer.

 

Asked if she had a meter in her home that reads the electricity, she said it was in the basement and she didn’t know if it was reading her electricity usage correctly or not. “I tried to call them [Con Ed] but they don’t answer. They keep you,” she said. “They don’t want to be bothered. I hope you all do something about it.”

In the meantime, New York Attorney General Letitia James has taken action to protect consumers. In a letter to Con Edison, James requested an explanation for the unexpected spike in utility bills last month that affected thousands of New Yorkers primarily in New York City and Westchester County. Many New York City consumers filed complaints with the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) saying that their Con Edison bills for January 2022 were significantly higher than they were in the prior billing cycle, with some consumers reporting bills that were as much as three times greater even though their consumption remained the same.

 

“Hardworking New Yorkers shouldn’t have to make sacrifices to keep the lights on or to stay warm during the coldest months of the winter,” said James. “My office is calling on Con Edison to explain the unexpected increases in last month’s bills that affected thousands of New Yorkers. We are also demanding that the company communicate rate increases early on so New Yorkers know what to expect when they open their energy bill. Utility companies have a responsibility to make sure consumers’ bills are fair and accurate, and my office is determined to hold them to that standard.”