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Con Edison Urges Energy Efficiency For Winter Heating Season

  • Con Edison Media Relations

  • New York – November 04, 2020 -- 12:00 PM

Con Edison is urging its 1.1 million natural gas customers to use energy efficiently this winter with bills projected to be higher than last winter.

person adjusting thermostat

The average residential gas-heating bill from November 2020 through March 2021 will be about $290 per month, up about 15 percent from last winter’s average monthly bill of $253, according to the company’s projections. That estimate is based on average monthly usage of 171 therms and assumes normal winter weather.

The increase is due to higher delivery charges and supply costs. The delivery charges fund investments Con Edison is making to keep service safe and reliable and help customers use gas more efficiently. The company’s safety programs include the installation of 376,000 new-technology natural gas detectors in buildings.

Con Edison does not set supply costs and does not make a profit on the supply. The company analyzes supply and demand forecasts and uses a variety of buying methods, including short-term and long-term contracts, to get the best prices for its customers. The company provides the commodity to customers at cost.

The key to controlling energy costs is managing usage. That becomes more important with costs rising and residential customers spending more time at home due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Customers can save money on heating by using these tips:

  • Swap out window shades seasonally. Light-colored window coverings reflect the sun's energy, while darker ones absorb it and release heat.
  • Keep ducts and vents clean. Clean heating systems run more efficiently and last longer.
  • Get $100 off a gas furnace or boiler tune-up.
  • Get a $100 discount (limited time offer) on an eligible smart thermostat. Customers who already have a smart thermostat can earn $85 or more in rewards by enrolling their Nest or Honeywell thermostat with Con Edison.
  • Make your home more comfortable and efficient year-round with clean, heat-pump technology. Con Edison offers rebates to help customers invest today and save energy and money long-term.
  • Get more information on Con Edison’s rebates and incentives for upgrades that save energy and money.

Natural gas supplies are expected to remain tight this winter, and any disruption from interstate gas transmission providers could further constrain supplies. Con Edison, however, has secured adequate supplies for its gas customers, approximately 370,000 of whom use gas to heat their homes or businesses in Manhattan, the Bronx, Westchester County, and parts of Queens.

Con Edison invests in its delivery system on behalf of customers. The company has replaced 270 miles of cast-iron and unprotected steel gas main in the last three years. The new piping is durable plastic.

The company has also begun a $130 million program to install 376,000 natural gas detectors in buildings where the gas line enters the building – usually in the basement. The device notifies Con Edison when it detects gas.

The detector, which Con Edison is the first utility in the United States to install, also sounds a voice warning urging anyone in the area to leave and report the suspected gas leak.

The company’s Smart Solutions program, which was announced in October 2018 and approved in 2019, helps customers adopt clean alternatives.

Under that program and the New York State Clean Heat Program, Con Edison has provided $450,000 in incentives for 70 geothermal units. Geothermal units are powered by electricity, lowering emissions compared to gas, and rely on the constant temperatures of the earth to heat indoor spaces. The company has also provided $11.3 million in incentives to help customers install 19,140 air-source heat-pump systems.

Con Edison is a subsidiary of Consolidated Edison, Inc. [NYSE: ED], one of the nation’s largest investor-owned energy companies, with approximately $13 billion in annual revenues and $59 billion in assets. The utility delivers electricity, natural gas and steam to 3.5 million customers in New York City and Westchester County, N.Y. For financial, operations and customer service information, visit conEd.com. For energy efficiency information, visit coned.com/energyefficiency. Also, visit us on Twitter and Facebook.

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