Central Hudson Adds Surcharge Onto Customer Bills To Partly Cover Arrears Reduction Program

Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corporation will add a surcharge to the “Miscellaneous component” of each customer’s bill beginning August 1, 2022 in order to “recover costs of the Electric & Gas Bill Relief Program targeted to assist low income families who experienced hardship during the COVID-19 pandemic,” according to their ad published in the Poughkeepsie Journal, as first Instagrammed by BLMHudsonValley. Customers with low income who are enrolled in EAP and are in arrears will see their unpaid bill changed by August 1, 2022, according to a press release by Governor Kathy Hochul.

Central Hudson confirmed to A Little Beacon Blog that the surcharge will be collected for one year, and is in the amount of one-half of one percent on the “total bill” for each customer. Central Hudson will receive approximately $2.85 million in New York State funding recently announced by Governor Kathy Hochul, and approximately $3 million from the customer surcharge.

Immediate reaction from people in the Instagram post was confusion at what the rate of the surcharge would be. People expressed feeling heavy with additional charges being added after the snafu with Central Hudson’s rollout of the new billing system earlier this year, and the recent removal of the fixed rate for supply of electricity due to the breaking of the CCA contract made by a supplier who contracted with several municipalities including Beacon. The PSC recently opened an investigation in March 2022 into Central Hudson at the request of Ulster County’s County Executive Pat Ryan for Central Hudson’s flawed billing system rollout that impacted customers including Dutchess County residents.

Central Hudson confirmed to A Little Beacon Blog that the ad ran in Poughkeepsie Journal, Kingston Daily Freeman, Catskill Daily Mail, and Times Herald Record on July 6, 13, 20 and 27. It ran in the Putnam County Courier July 6, 13, 20 and 27. Central Hudson noted that publishing a notice of the addition of the surcharge is a regulatory requirement by the Public Service Commission (PSC), but publishing when it falls off in a year is not required.

According to Governor Hochul’s 6/16/2022 announcement: “Under the bill credit program, the PSC is leveraging the $250 million from the FY 2023 Enacted State Budget to require utilities to provide a one-time credit to customers enrolled in the Energy Affordability Program (EAP) that will eliminate unpaid utility bills that have accrued through May 1, 2022. The program also authorizes the same relief for any eligible low-income customers that enroll in EAP by December 31, 2022.”

Joseph Jenkins, Associate Director of Media Relations stated: “The measure received support from consumer advocacy groups like AARP and the Public Utility Law Project.” When asked if that support included the customer surcharge, Joseph responded: “The surcharge is how all utilities across the state are funding the program and was part of the program that the PSC approved back in June, so it’s difficult to separate the two. The how this program would be funded was one of the items that the working group that created it had to come to an agreement on.”

According to Governor Hochul’s press release, this one-time, low-income utility bill credit will be applied to affected customers' bills requires no action by existing low-income customers enrolled in the EAP to receive the benefit.

Out Like A Lion :: Wind Storm Damages Power Lines Causing Power Outages

Winds of up to 40mph blew through Beacon Monday night into Tuesday morning, causing some to lose power.

The Times Union has a Power Outage Tracker that attempts to report power outages as they happen in counties across New York. According to Central Hudson, about 639 people in Dutchess County experienced power loss. Some Beaconites reported darkness as well in social media on Monday night. Outages within other counties were, as reported by Central Hudson:

• Albany County: 345

• Dutchess County: 639

• Greene County: 2,184

• Orange County: 1,537

• Ulster County: 6,939

Ulster County got pummeled during the last blizzard, and the chance for power outage doesn’t seem to have let up. Central Hudson is currently embroiled in a billing controversy with clients and county leaders, where customer trust is lost in accurate billing. The County Executive for Ulster County Pat Ryan has called for an investigation into Central Hudson’s billing, and Dutchess County Executive Marcus Molinaro calls Central Hudson’s new billing system roll-out “flawed and disturbing.”

As reported by WAMC, Ulster County Executive Pat Ryan says he has submitted a letter to the New York State Public Service Commission. The article reports: “He says he has heard complaints from residents about not receiving bills for months, extremely over-estimated bills, and large automatic withdrawals from consumer accounts without notice.” WAMC reports that “once it receives the letter, the Public Service Commission is required to open a formal investigation.”

About The Wind Storm and Restoration

According to Central Hudson, “a low-pressure system moved into the region on Monday night bringing a line of thunderstorms and powerful wind gusts of over 50 miles per hour to some areas. These winds toppled trees and tree limbs onto powerlines causing outages throughout Central Hudson’s service area.”

Central Hudson’s’s report about the wind storm and restoration efforts is as follows:

“Central Hudson’s crews are working to make repairs and restore power to our customers as safely and quickly as possible,” said Ryan Hawthorne, Vice President of Electric Engineering and Operations. “In addition to our full complement of internal crews and contractors, we’re expecting an additional 80 line workers from New York, Connecticut, Maine and Quebec to arrive throughout the day to help address nearly 350 individual damage locations.”

“Conditions on Tuesday will improve and allow us to make significant progress, but we anticipate restoration efforts in the most heavily impacted areas to extend into Wednesday,” Hawthorne added.

"Flawed and Disturbing" Is What Dutchess County Executive Marcus Molinaro Calls Central Hudson's Roll Out Of New Billing System

Central Hudson, the area’s deliverer of energy and gas, announced that they launched a new “customer information system” on September 1, 2021. As a result, some people did not receive a bill for months, according to complaints voiced on social media and submitted to A Little Beacon Blog. Some people received an “Estimated” bill for 4 months in a row, which according to New York State law, is not within regulation. Central Hudson’s Media Relations Director, John Maserjian, explained that regulation to A Little Beacon Blog:

“The reason Central Hudson reads meters every other month is due to a requirement in 2016 by utility regulators. Prior to 2016, Central Hudson billed every two months with actual meter readings. The state then required Central Hudson to bill monthly, however we were unable to read meters every month without raising rates. The state agreed to allow for estimates every other month, which we have been providing since then. We are now looking into alternatives that would allow for more consistent actual meter readings.”

On February 10, 2022, Central Hudson issued a press release alerting customers to rising electric and gas rates, citing various reasons for the spike, including colder weather this winter, the closure of Indian Point, and a shortage of liquefied natural gas in Europe as the United States is one of the main exporters of liquefied natural gas to Europe, in addition to Qatar and Russia (pre-Russian invasion of Ukraine).

Delivery Dollars In The Details

Residents across the region opened their eyes to how they were being billed by Central Hudson, and started complaining. Especially if they were used to a bill for $500 and received one for $2,500 after receiving no bill for 4 months. According to some customers who shared their experiences with A Little Beacon Blog, they were not offered a payment plan unless they called Central Hudson, usually in a panic about their bill.

According to a letter posted on customers’ February bills, only 5% of customers were effected. According to the wave of complaints in social media, that number seemed higher. Hearing the complaints, The City of Beacon’s Councilmember George Mansfield brought up the confusion he was hearing from residents, which prompted a meeting to be scheduled with Central Hudson and the City of Beacon to present to Beacon residents during a City Council Meeting.

The meeting was scheduled but postponed after the last blizzard caused extreme electricity outages in Ulster County, which Central Hudson worked hard to restore. High level employees of Central Hudson did present to Beacon’s City Council weeks later on February 22, 2022.

Days earlier, on February 16, 2022, Dutchess County Executive Marcus Molinaro issued a statement via press release stating his discontent with Central Hudson’s treatment of billing customers. His statement in full is below:

“Central Hudson‘s roll out of a new billing system and failure to communicate effectively with our residents in anticipation of increased energy costs is flawed and disturbing. 

“Gas prices globally have spiked, and nationally we are experiencing an unbearable rate of inflation. Locally, New York State’s decision to close Indian Point shifted the region from a reliance on steady, stable and affordable energy to an unstable commodity*. Bitter cold temperatures have further exacerbated the situation by increasing demand. 

“Some of what we’re experiencing can be attributed to bad decisions and bad policy in Albany and Washington, but Central Hudson bears much responsibility here. They knew a rate increase was imminent. They have absolute control over their operations and communications. It is clear based on the countless individuals who have communicated with my office that Central Hudson’s outreach efforts have failed.  

“The shocking utility bills our residents are receiving adds insult to the injury from last year‘s flawed rollout of their new billing system. Central Hudson has an obligation to keep our community informed about the cost of the energy they deliver. 

“Too many families living paycheck to paycheck cannot bear the weight of inflation. Add to that a confusing and shocking utility bill increase and we have a recipe for disaster.

“Central Hudson must do better. They can do better. It’s time they provide assistance and relief to our residents.”

What Is The “Unstable Commodity” Marcus Molinaro Referred To?

In his statement above, Dutchess County Executive Marcus Molinaro referred to an “unstable commodity.” A Little Beacon Blog followed up to see which commodity he was referring to. His response:

“The unstable commodity is natural gas. The reference to ‘unstable’ relates to the short and long term instability that are often exhibited with raw materials, such as oil or natural gas, due to sudden changes in market conditions that affect supply and demand.

“Indian Point was not a raw material energy producer – the plant had a consistent output that did not fluctuate due to resource availability. It provided approximately 13% of the state’s electricity serving more than 2 million homes.

“To offset the power to provide electricity, New York State permitted three natural gas fired power plants. These plants are subject to the ‘instability’ of fluctuations in natural gas pricing which we are experiencing. The natural gas (commodity) needed for these three plants is not generated locally.

“Demand for natural gas has increased globally—spikes in frigid temperatures and the demand for electric vehicles have further increased the demand on natural gas as a significant amount of the state’s energy comes from natural gas-fired plants. At the same time, the banning of certain ways to source natural gas and the termination of projects or infrastructure to transport gas to the states have reduced supply.”

Reasons For Rising Rate Repeatedly Left Out Of Communications

Despite the closing of Indian Point, residents of Beacon and neighboring municipalities had the opportunity to opt-in to a fixed rate on their energy bill of .06361/kwh (kilowatt hour), which was in a locally legislated deal known as Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) structured and organized by Hudson Valley Energy in July 2019.

After a change in energy supplier (Direct Energy to Columbia Utilities) that rate was renegotiated to $.06572/kwh, far lower than what Central Hudson’s current rate for electricity is ($.21 for February 2022). The rate that Central Hudson charges for electricity is a variable rate, which means that it can change, and is not locked in, like Beacon’s rate is. Central Hudson’s new rate will reach $.21/kwh, as you can see in their chart of monthly rates here.

The source of the lower-priced rate negotiated by Hudson Valley Energy is 100% renewable energy. Usually that does not sit well with proponents of power plants like Indian Point. Currently, the 100% renewable energy is in a fixed, stable rate, and energy and gas prices are variable and spiking.

When the new, locked-in Beacon rate became available in 2019, about 10% of Beaconites opted out, according the Jeffrey Domanski of Hudson Valley Energy, a Beaconite who manages the group-rate fixed rate for Hudson Valley Energy. That was then. Currently, he says that 15% of Beaconites have opted out, with 70% of Beaconties enrolled in the locked-in rate.

Beaconites and any resident of one of the municipalities enrolled in this program can opt-in at any time by contacting Jeffrey directly at cca@hudsonvalleyenergy.org. Those municipalities currently include the City of Beacon, Town of Clinton, Village of Cold Spring, Town of Marbletown, Town of New Paltz, Village of New Paltz, Town of Philipstown, City of Poughkeepsie, Town of Red Hook, and the Town of Saugerties. Learn more about the program here.

Why Isn’t The Lower Locked-In Rate From Beacon’s CCA Headline News?

Why isn’t every Beaconite opted in to the lower locked in rate? Because messaging on it has been confusing from Central Hudson from the beginning. A Little Beacon Blog reported on that confusing letter from Central Hudson years ago, and the confusing messaging hasn’t stopped. Customer service representatives at Central Hudson claim to barely know about it, despite it being signed into legislation by Beacon’s City Council. Messaging from door-to-door peddlers of solar panels have also sown confusion and doubt about the program, according to this writer’s own experience with 2 of them.

At its core, the locked-in energy rate is drawing from 100% renewable energy. Which in and of itself, can draw skepticism from people. Couple that with the solar panel sales people who come door to door (illegally, by the way, as they should not do that without a Peddler’s Permit which they never show - they show their photo ID from their employer but that’s not the same thing as a Peddler’s Permit. they prey on people, especially the elderly who will fall for their very well-crafted sales pitches).

How To Get The Locked-In Rate

This is a developing story. A Little Beacon Blog has more reporting to share with you on it. Know this: If you want to opt-in to the fixed energy rate for Beacon, which is $.06361/kwh instead of the $0.21995 Central Hudson’s variable rate is now up to, email Jeffrey directly at cca@hudsonvalleyenergy.org.

The locked-in rate is not guaranteed to be lower at all times, as the rest of the market fluctuates. Since its start in 2019, it has outperformed the variable fossil-fuel market rate.

For questions about the fixed rate for Community Choice Aggregation (CCA), do not email or call Columbia Utilities, as Central Hudson has instructed you to do. As this is a legislated agreement with several municipalities, it is odd that Central Hudson’s customer service representatives, as well as printed letters from Central Hudson’s marketing department, would divulge such little information about how to get in touch with the point person of the many municipal-wide Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) program that is written into Beacon’s city code.

The point person to hook you up for free to this locked in rate is Jeffrey Domanski of Hudson Valley Energy at cca@hudsonvalleyenergy.org.

NOTE: This locked in rate is not the Budget Billing plan that Central Hudson encourages customers to start. There is much skepticism about that Budget Billing plan, and if it is based on Actual readings, and how many customers have gotten money back if they used less energy and gas then Central Hudson projected for them.

To be continued…

Explaining That Confusing Central Hudson Letter About Changing Energy Supplier - Deep Dive Into Community Choice Aggregation (CCA)

Energy in our lives is simple - you flip on a light switch and the lights turn on.

Managing that energy and where it comes from is not as simple, especially as residents get marketed to on their front porches, and get letters in the mail from sources like:

• Central Hudson, the company who makes sure our energy gets to our homes.

• City of Beacon to tell residents about any changes.

• Third-party energy agents who want customers to leave an energy supply arrangement with Central Hudson and hook up with their company, which could be a renewable energy company, or just an energy company promising discounts - in exchange for a contract with a length of time coupled with a fine if the customer decides to leave the billing arrangement early. Sometimes these companies come door to door, promising cash sign-on bonuses if you give them your bill right there on the spot.

  • Peddler’s Permit: Remember, when these people do come to your door, ask to see their Peddler’s Permit, as explained by Beacon’s former City Administrator Anthony Ruggiero to ALBB years ago.

  • Cautionary Note: Be very, very careful about showing your utility bills to anyone. You should protect your Central Hudson account number like you (should) protect you Social Security Number.

The Confusing Central Hudson Letter Of June 2021

In May 2021, residents of Beacon received a package from the City of Beacon explaining that the energy supplier of renewable energy (in this case, 100% hydropower) from the group purchasing partnership the city belongs to, Hudson Valley Community Power, was changing from Direct Energy to Columbia Utilities Power, LLC. No change would be needed by the resident customer, but as required by the program, a rectangular opt-out card with self-addressed envelope was included with the package for people who wanted to opt-out of the program they had been in for 2 years or for people who were newly offered participation in the program, for those who newly moved into a CCA community. Same program, new contract with different renewable energy supplier, which triggered the package to be sent.

Following that letter, in June 2021, Central Hudson sent out a similar letter, but one that led to much confusion, causing some residents to think that they had been duped by a peddler or scam, that their energy switched to a different company without them realizing it. Part of the letter from Central Hudson read: “If this change is unauthorized by you, you must contract Central Hudson within 1 business day prior to the effective date; otherwise your account will be transferred as stated above.”

During the spring of 2021, marketing peddlers of other energy companies had recently swept Beacon in a door-to-door energy switch marketing campaign, iPads in hand ready to switch people in minutes, which may have been a coincidence contributing to the confusion of when the letters arrived. A person could have thought: “Wait, did I authorize something with that young person promising me a rebate, hitting up all the houses with their iPad? Did they get into my account? Did my partner authorize something? Did my elderly parent sign something?”

Basically, nothing changed, everything is fine (unless you signed with the iPad peddlers). But let’s back up to remember what the City of Beacon agreed to on the behalf of residents - along with 9 other municipalities - 2 years ago in order to get 90% of Beaconites on renewable energy at the same or lower rate than what is currently traditional fossil fuel energy direct from Central Hudson, which is what this letter was all about.

It All Comes Down To Community Choice Aggregation (CAA) - What The Heck Is That?

After energy de-regulated in the 1990’s, companies could solicit energy supply relationships with consumers (though nothing would interfere with their delivery arrangement with Central Hudson - Central Hudson would always deliver the chosen supply). You may have seen these energy companies at farmers markets, where they try to entice you to sign up for solar power (not solar panels on your roof, but through your regular energy bill). Sometimes it was more expensive to sign up with these companies at farmers markets or on your front porch.

Then in 2016, New York State created legislation to allow for buying renewable energy in bulk, thereby discounting it, called Community Choice Aggregation (CCA), a policy which basically allows for cities, towns, villages and other local governments to buy renewable energy in a discounted rate in a buying club structure. According to Jeff Domanski, founder of the Beacon-based non-profit Hudson Valley Energy, there are so far 8 states who offer this, including California, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Ohio, and Rhode Island. He says the law “is like a Swiss Army knife for getting renewable energy into homes.”

“The CCA Order came about for a number of reasons, but in simple terms, the win-win-win opportunity to:

1. promote renewable energy in New York,

2. in a cost-effective, and possibly cost-saving way for utility customers (counter to what everyone has expected prior to CCA, and

3. consumer empowerment/protection.

“Because of the numerous consumer protection/empowerment aspects inspiring and baked-into the CCA Order and programs,” Jeffrey continued to ALBB, “including empowering folks who never thought of supporting renewable energy to address the Climate Crisis because it was a more expensive prospect and because navigating the opportunities can be overwhelming for most folks – made worse by the many bad actors out there - the CCA program in communities is an easy way to contribute to the environment and save money on the electric bill.”

City of Beacon Agrees To Move Beaconites Into 100% Renewable Energy On Their Central Hudson Bills

A series of steps needed to be taken In order for this to be available in Beacon:

1. Beacon Law: A law needed to be passed in Beacon to pursue this. New York State required that each municipality needs to set a law to pursue it. Beacon passed a law in 2017.

2. An Administering Body: Beacon needed to choose how the program would be administered in line with New York’s order. New York’s order includes consumer protections, including sourcing renewable energy from New York suppliers, not locking customers into timed contracts, and not charging customers hidden fees. The municipality needed to pick an approved administrator. The administrator who emerged was (and is) called Joule Community Power. According to Joule, their mission is to empower municipalities (like a city or village) in the energy market: “We are shifting NY State’s energy dependency from a utility-controlled, fossil fuel model to a municipally-controlled clean, renewable energy model for thousands of households at a time. By designing and implementing community choice aggregation programs, we empower municipalities to make energy decisions for their own communities thereby enabling local decision-making and transferring control away from the State.”

3. Who Administers? The administrator, (Joule) needed to supply an implementation plan of hundreds of pages describing how this would work. Part of this implementation plan was educating and outreaching to the residents in the municipalities who signed into this. Joule would outsource this education and outreach via a non-profit. The non-profit selected to do this outreach is Hudson Valley Energy, a non-profit started by local Beaconite Jeffrey Domanski.

In 2019, after hearing presentations from Joule and Hudson Valley Energy, the City of Beacon agreed to be one of 10 municipalities to source this energy. The other municipalities included Fishkill, Philipstown, Cold Spring, City of Poughkeepsie, Town of Red Hook, Town of Clinton, Marveltown in Ulster, and the Town and Village of New Paltz. In the 2 years since this started, Fishkill has since exited the arrangement when the new Town Supervisor, Ozzy Albra, was elected and replaced Robert LaColla. According to Jeffrey of Hudson Valley Energy, Fishkill did not like the idea of the opt-out nature of the program, where the default was to be in the program, and one needed to take action to opt-out if they so desired. Replacing Fishkill to keep the group number at 10 is Saugerties. More municipalities can always join in.

4. The Bulk-Buy Program: With the municipalities signed on, this created a new group partnership program name called Hudson Valley Community Power. The Program administered by Joule, and locally managed by Hudson Valley Energy for customer service inquiries and education (not for power outages…Central Hudson remains the delivery/repair/billing company and go-to source for all of those calls). The power source for the Program is currently 100% hydropower. But things will change over time to include more New York-based solar and wind power sources, Jeffrey said.

Neither Joule nor Hudson Valley Energy go door to door with education materials or billing changes. “We very, very, very much do not go door to door,” Jeffrey told ALBB. “Community Solar companies in particular are going out.”

5. Lights…Camera…Action! Now that the players and names have been settled, the supplier of energy must be selected. From 2019 - 2021, that supplier was Direct Energy for a 2 year contract at a fixed rate. In this buying club, if people do not opt-out, the rate does not change thanks to negotiations locking it in. The opt-out rate has been about 10%, said Jeffrey, which was expected. After the energy supply contract expired, Joule sent out a RFP (Request For Proposal) for a new supplier. Six companies bid, including Direct Energy, but a different company won for the lowest bid: Columbia Utilities Power. They will be the supplier for 3 years, from 2021 - 2024.

Hence The Letter From Central Hudson…

When the new contract was signed with Columbia Utilities Power, the letters to Beaconties went out, introducing customers to Columbia Utilities Power. But the letter from Central Hudson was very confusing, scaring some customers into calling customer service numbers immediately, and was signed with an acronym matching none of the above: “Very truly yours, Customer Choice Program”

The nation-wide program is called “Community Choice Aggregation,” which sounds similar to “Customer Choice Program,” the name signed at the bottom of the Central Hudson Letter. Nowhere in the letter was mentioned the national program “Community Choice Aggregation” and the letter instructed people to call Columbia Utilities Power LLC with pricing questions, which is not in line with how the regional program is or has been run.

The company to call with pricing information is Hudson Valley Energy, who works with Joule, to service the New York State initiative complying with Community Choice Aggregation.

The company to call with billing questions, smelling a gas leak, reporting a power outage, and safety concerns remains Central Hudson, whether you are in the Community Choice Aggregation program or not.

Whew! So Now What? Are We Saving Money And Saving The Planet?

Educator Jeffrey from Hudson Valley Energy says that we are. There are a lot of useful charts, rates and data at the Hudson Valley Energy website FAQ page (which is also available in Spanish). Now that two years of data has been collected, one can compare the rates in detail.

Rates from 2019-2021 in the Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) program.
Photo Credit: Hudson Valley Energy

To further understand the numbers, ALBB asked Jeffrey some clarifying questions:

ALBB: Regarding the chart above: if I opt out of Community Choice Aggregation (CCA), and I get my energy from Central Hudson’s sources, am I in the Central Hudson Standard Mix? And of that energy, is it fossil fuel?

JEFFREY: “If you opt-out of the Program, Central Hudson will make your supply decision each month. The rate will vary and the sourcing will be predominately fossil-based. The sourcing mix of the Hudson Valley Community Power Program’s ‘Standard’ rate is similar, but is fixed (i.e., folks in the communities can choose to stay in the Program and choose one of the two rates).”"

ALBB: If I did nothing 2 years ago, and nothing this year, which color label am I in from the chart? Hudson Valley Community Power 100% Renewable (Fixed Rate)?

JEFFREY: “Yes – the 100% Renewable Rate option is the default (no-action required) choice in all of our partner-communities.”

Ok…So What Is Community Solar?

Add to the mix are the solar farms being developed and coming online for energy production referred to as “Community Solar.” Many of them are out marketing door-to-door to get consumers to switch. Jeffrey says that they aren’t necessarily a bad thing, and that consumers can actually have both. “It's not a bad service necessarily that Community Solar is offering,” stated Jeffrey. “It is the 2nd tool in the Swiss Army knife of tools that is Community Choice Aggregation. People who opt-in on their billing can be a virtual owner of a solar field. Thereby letting the owner meet their requirements to let them drive a discount on energy. People should look into Community Solar to save 10% on their electric. It's a parallel thing. You can do neither, either or, or both.”

In fact, Joule is involved with its own Community Solar.

ALBB: When my neighbor says he is opting into to Community Solar, is he leaving the Hudson Valley Community Power partnership?

JEFFREY: “In brief, no. Community Solar is a parallel opportunity to the fixed rate ‘electricity supply’ aspect of CCA we’ve been mostly talking about.”

“To further the distinction, the fixed electricity supply rate ($/kWh) is multiplied by the amount of electricity a customer uses each month (kWh). Nearly all Community Solar programs I know are a symbiotic relationship between the customer and the owner of the solar field, whereby the customer’s subscribing to be a virtual owner of a portion of the solar field allows the project to proceed as a ‘community project.’ In return, the customer receives a monetary discount off their entire electricity charges, which is targeted to result in a 10% savings for each year of the agreement. Note: the credit received each month is not based on the customer’s usage that month.”

However, Jeffrey wanted to stress: “Community Solar is NOT a customer’s supply source.”

ALBB: If I opt-into a Community Solar company, am I leaving the Hudson Valley Community Power Program - our region’s CCA?

JEFFREY: “Subscribing to a Community Solar project does not conflict with the Electricity Supply component of a CCA Program. The Electricity Supply component of CCA provides a fixed rate which is directly tied to a customer’s monthly electricity usage. Nearly all Community Solar subscription programs assign a portion of a solar field to a customer to generate (in the Community Solar developer/owner’s business model) a monetary credit which targets 10% off a customer’s total electric charges (averaged over a year).

ALBB: Regarding the rate: Is it cheaper than being in regular Central Hudson?

JEFFREY: “Yes – it currently is, and we believe will be cheaper over the life of the Program, though there will be months when Central Hudson’s supply rate is lower than the Program’s fixed rate. The Program rate for 100% renewable-sourced electricity (from New York producers) is $0.06573/kWh. Central Hudson’s comparable rate is $0.0697/kWh.”

###

That concludes today’s lesson in a few data points in the energy supply market for communities. In another article, Jeffrey can explain how CCA’s have been enabled to support Community Solar “and talk about the evolving ways that’s happened and will be happening,” Jeffrey told ALBB. “Suffice to say, CCA is a dynamic, powerful tool which enables cities, towns, and villages to help the customers through localizing energy decision-making.”

High Winds Cause Power Outage And Traffic Lights Out In Beacon Along Wolcott At Main Street and Others

As spring pushes through 2021, March’s winds are coming in like a lion, blowing around a few snow flakes on Sunday in between a glorious sun surrounded by dark clouds holding what could be more snow at any moment. At 3:29pm, Central Hudson reported that at least 2,218 customers in Beacon were affected by an outage, and that crews were on site repairing.

Some traffic lights were out along Wolcott, including the intersection of Main Street, and the intersection at Beekman (the road to the train station), as well as the intersection at Verplank. At least 1 Highway Department employee was out on Sunday, and Stop signs had been placed at dark traffic lights.

Trucks from Central Hudson were repairing a line in the trees at Verplank at Wolcott, and cars were routed around the area, causing backups on side streets.

People who have allergies may want to have medication for itchy noses and watery eyes on hand as the wind blows new spring buds around the block.

View fullsize

View fullsize

Left: Intersection of Wolcott (9D) and Beekman
Right: Intersection of Wolcott (9D) Main Street.

Rain/Wind Storm Predicted For Christmas 2020 - Central Hudson and Optimum Send Alerts

Just as you were debating if you should drive over the river and through the woods to Grandma’s house, in a pandemic, now you also get to decide if you would like to do that in the wind and rain, possibly ending in ice on roads and sidewalks for Friday.

Central Hudson and Optimum have both issued emails alerting customers to possible outages, and that they will be on standby through the holidays should an outage occur. Optimum advises customers to watch News 12 for updates. If we have cable. And can access the Internet. Have your Hot Spot on your phone ready as backup! Not being able to watch Wonder Woman 1984 on Christmas, or connecting with all of our friends on TikTok, Insta and FB would be very bad. Or maybe you are OK with a Zoom family meeting cutting out when the cable goes. Flood and tree damage would also be very bad.

Said Optimum in their email announcement: “Be assured, our teams are on standby and ready to respond to any possible service impacts the storm may bring. For helpful information on how you can prepare, visit optimum.net/stormprep.” Optimum reminds you to sign into your online account to set up notifications of outages. Personally, my account got messed up years ago, and I cannot set up an online account. So send ALBB tips if you get them ;) And also a reminder to be kind to Customer Service and Technitians no matter what happens.

News 12 predicts that rain will begin on Thursday, with strong winds and rain mounting by Friday. The meteorologists at News 12 are calling this a “spring-like storm” that will have temperatures in the 60s, and will drop Friday evening to the 20s. There is still snow on the ground today, so add that to the water that is predicted to contribute to possible flooding in areas. See News 12 for their full report. The Weather Channel also predicts wind, rain and a drop in temperature.

Central Hudson Reminds You To Avoid All Fallen Wires

• You can't tell if a power line is energized just by looking at it. Assume all fallen power lines are live and proceed with extreme caution.

• Do not drive over fallen wires. Always follow the utility personnel instructions regarding fallen power lines.

• If you see a fallen power line, stay at least 30 feet away from it and anything it contacts. The ground around a power line and any objects it contacts may be energized. Call 911 to report fallen wires.

• Do not attempt to move a fallen power line or anything else in contact with it using an object such as a broom or stick. Even non-conductive materials like wood or cloth can conduct electricity if even slightly wet.

Central Hudson’s Preparedness Checklist:

• Fully charge your cell phone.

• Sign up for Central Hudson's text messaging service to receive updates about power outages and restoration work.

• Have flashlights and batteries handy.

• If you rely on electricity to operate a well pump, ensure you have an adequate supply of bottled water. Fill your bathtub for an extra water reserve.

• Ensure adequate supplies of prescription medicine and other necessities.

• Fuel up your vehicles.

• Have a plan to check on vulnerable neighbors and family members.

• Have non-perishable foods that require no refrigeration or cooking.

Central Hudson’s Carbon Monoxide & Generator Safety

• NEVER operate a generator, grill or outdoor heating appliance in your home or in any enclosed space, including your basement or garage. Doing so can lead to a potentially lethal build-up of colorless, odorless, poisonous carbon monoxide.

• Only have an experienced electrician connect a generator to your home. Improperly installed generators may overload circuits, cause a fire or shock hazard, and can result in serious injury or property damage. Improperly installed generators can also back-feed onto electric lines and endanger repair crews working to restore service.

• Plug appliances directly into the generator using a heavy-duty, outdoor-rated extension cord that is designed to handle the wattage of all the appliances being connected.

Electric Bill Phone Scam In Full Swing - Fake Calls From Central Hudson - This One May Get You

Photo Credit: A Little Beacon Blog

A phone scam posing as Central Hudson is in full force, and this one is pretty sneaky. The scam phone call comes in as a recorded message with the voice of a woman, similar to the female recorded voice at the actual Central Hudson when you call for help or to pay your bill via phone. The message advises you that your house is scheduled to have the electricity shut off today because of nonpayment on your account. The details are below of what to expect and how to avoid this scam, but first, a poem:

‘Twas the day after Christmas, when all through the house,
The children were running, even the mouse;
The bills were arriving, put away with care,
In hopes that the money soon would be there;
The bill pile and to-do list were spread on the bed,
While visions of what would get paid when spun in parents’ heads,
Mama with her coffee answered a phone call with a snap,
And heard "This is Central Hudson - your electricity is scheduled to be shut off today" causing her to spill her coffee on her lap.
She arose with a clatter,
To call the recommended number to see what was the matter.
And almost paid the bill in a flash,
But thanks to a technical difficulty, they didn't get her cash.

How The Scam Phone Call Works

The phone call comes in, and “Central Hudson” flashes up on your phone screen’s caller ID. If you answer, because why wouldn’t you answer a call from Central Hudson, the recorded voice that sounds like the usual recorded voice at Central Hudson tells you that electricity to your house is scheduled to be shut off today due to nonpayment, and to call this number: (800) 503-2410.

A few things might run through your mind, which helps this scam work. These are mentioned here to remind you to ignore those assumptions when a phone call like this comes in while you are in a vulnerable place, like after the holidays or at tax time:

• “I thought I just got my bill… Don’t they wait like two billing cycles before going down the cut-off-your-power route? How can they do this the day after Christmas?”

• “I guess I better call the number… When people are late - wait, but am I late? - do they put your ability to make payment in a special place, like with a special billing department who is connected to the guys in the trucks going around shutting off people’s power? I don’t know! I better call immediately!”

The phone number at the time was working. The recorded voice sounded just like the regular recorded voice at Central Hudson. They have options to press numbers to report a power outage, or pay a bill. Fortunately, the option to pay a bill didn’t work, and disconnected the call.

Hang up immediately when a deceptive phone call like this comes in, and call Central Hudson directly to inquire about your account, and report the scam.

Hours later, the scam phone number had been disconnected.

Central Hudson’s Tips On How To Spot A Phone Scam

Central Hudson can confirm in their call logs if they called you or not. When you call directly to pay your bill, they can confirm that your bill is indeed not even late, that they did not call you, and that your payment was received, if you made it directly through their own phone system.

Phone scams can come in the form of directives to create money orders or store-bought debit cards. A list of other known Central Hudson scams are available here at Central Hudson’s website.

Watch For Phony Porch Peddlers

In addition, there are phony peddlers going around front porches of homes to tempt people into leaving Central Hudson for a “clean energy source.” This is also a scam, and A Little Beacon Blog will be following up with an article and pictures about the scam shortly.