New York Energy Consumers Council

The utility bill has long been the main form of communication between a utility and their customers. Customers expect the bills to be timely and accurate, but for many in the Central Hudson service territory, this was not the case. Last week's settlement, a direct result of the Commission's months long investigative process and audit of practices, aims to address these billing issues. Valued at $62.5M, the settlement details the corrective actions Central Hudson must take to resolve the billing problems; among them include system improvements to their billing system, and the cessation of bi-monthly estimated billing coupled with a transition to monthly billing before the end of the year. To be clear, the Settlement does not resolve individual customer billing complaints. Central Hudson remains obligated to respond to outstanding customer complaints, explain the details, and participate in the established consumer complaint resolution process before the DPS Office of Consumer Services (OCS). The Commission will continue to monitor the status of those individual complaints as they make their way through the individual complaint resolution process. Link to Order - https://lnkd.in/eRd7AWFj Link to Monitor Report - https://lnkd.in/epdSeaFu Link to Press Release - https://lnkd.in/eBn8UXwz

Fast Company recently toured THE PENN DISTRICT, exploring its remarkable transformation into a vibrant, pedestrian-friendly tech hub. “Where once there was a FedEx, there is now a Blue Bottle Coffee. Just next door, there is an upscale sushi bar, a hip taqueria, a Roberta’s Pizza, and an Anita Gelato, both opening this month. The surrounding buildings have been retrofitted, reskinned, and repositioned for tech giants...and the stretch of 33rd street where I am sitting—between 7th and 8th Avenue—has become a pedestrian oasis called Plaza 33, complete with a swooping new entrance to MSG and Penn Station.” Read more about THE PENN DISTRICT’s transformation at the link below. https://lnkd.in/eZufHpyz

Con Edison Steam Customers –   Our Spring 2024 Customer Seminar is scheduled for Wednesday, June 26th from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn about the ways that NYC Accelerator can help with Local Law 97 compliance, the results of our study on “Electrification Challenges in Dense Urban Environments,” and much more!   Scan the QR code or use this link to register: https://lnkd.in/ee6kSySA

NYSERDA has announced two memorandums of understanding (MOUs) to explore renewable energy development on underutilized sites. Through our Build-Ready Program, we will collaborate closely with Tompkins County to assess the potential for hosting a solar and battery energy storage system on the unused land surrounding the active Ithaca Tompkins International Airport in the Southern Tier. Additionally, we’ll work with Niagara County in Western New York on the feasibility of developing solar energy at the closed Witmer Road Landfill. https://on.ny.gov/4eoAnmQ

Congratulations to Philip Skalaski, SVP of Engineering & Energy Services, for being named a Trailblazer in Clean Energy by City & State! Philip oversees the development and management of mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems across the Durst portfolio, and serves as Co-President of the New York Energy Consumers Council. Thank you to Philip S. and the whole Engineering & Energy Services team for helping Durst maximize our energy efficiency and contribute to a more sustainable future.

Today at the Exchange, we hosted the New York Energy Consumers Council for The State of the Grid Annual Update! Panelists from the NYISO, New York Public Service Commission, NYSERDA and Con Edison discussed the integration of renewable resources, smart grid technologies and reliability issues associated with evolving New York's electric grid.