Orange and Rockland Utilities Inc.
11/08/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 11/08/2024 09:32
Rockland Electric Company Offers Programs and Money-Saving Tips to Prepare Customers for Winter
Company Offers Payment Plans, Budget Billing
As colder weather approaches, Rockland Electric Company (RECO) is offering programs to help customers with their energy bills, while also sharing tips for saving money by conserving and using energy wisely.
RECO offers Billing and Payment Plans, including Budget Billing, which smooths out costs throughout the year so that customers can pay off balances over time, rather than all at once.
RECO offers these programs out of an understanding that energy costs can represent a hardship, particularly for low- and moderate-income customers.
Among those programs are:
- Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program(LIHEAP)
- Universal Service Fund (USF)
- USF-Fresh Start (energy debt forgiveness)
-
Payment Assistance for Gas and Electric(PAGE)
-
New Jersey Residential Utility Customer Protections
- 2-1-1as a 24/7 referral source for utility assistance as well as other helpful programs
The best way for customers to take control of their bill is to manage their usage of electricity. Customers can follow Tips for Lowering Your Energy Billand check out the company's energy efficiency incentives Rebates, Incentives, and Tax Creditsfor upgrades customers make to their homes.
Conserving is Key
Customers can save money on energy by using these tips:
- Set thermostats at the lowest comfortable temperature. Each degree higher increases heating costs.
- Clear area around heating and cooling vents. Carpets, furniture, and other objects can block vents and prevent heated air from circulating in your home.
- Have a qualified contractor clean and inspect heating systems.
- Insulate hot-water pipes and warm-air ducts that pass through unheated areas. Clean or replace filters for the 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 widely available.
- Unplug electronics when they're not in use. Some high-energy devices like computers, televisions, and game consoles use electricity even when they're turned off.
Winter Energy Costs
RECO projects that its electric bills will be higher this winter.
RECO purchases electricity for its customers for the majority of its load through an annual Basic Generation Service (BGS) auction. This is the mechanism that the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU) requires all the state's electric utilities to use to secure the electric supply requirements for their customers. Through the auction, New Jersey's electric utilities buy a portion of their electric supply over a three-year period --- one auction per year.
A typical RECO residential customer using 925 kWh per month this winter is expected to see a bill increase of $18.17 from $185.81 to $203.98, a 9.8% increase over last winter.