High Utility Bills

  • Utility bills have skyrocketed this winter
  • It’s frankly out of control and I’m just as angry about it as you are
  • We need them to be a much better community partner; this is unacceptable
  • Thankfully, there are programs out there that can help those struggling to pay their utility bills
  • On the state level, the Home Energy Assistance Program, or HEAP, is a useful tool
  • Call 1-800-342-3009 for more information
  • The Regular Arrears Supplement Benefit provides up to $10,000 for eligible families who are behind on their heating bills
  • To learn more and see if you're eligible, visit www.otda.ny.gov/programs/heap/#regular-arrears-supplement-benefit
  • The Energy Affordability Policy provides income-eligible households with a monthly credit on their energy bills

Explanations of commonly used terms on energy bills

KWH: Kilowatt-hour, a basic unit of electricity used

Off-Peak: The period of time when the need or demand for electricity on the company’s system is low, such as late evenings, weekends or holidays

Peak: The period of time when the need or demand for electricity on the company’s system is high, normally during the day Monday through Friday

Meter multiplier: A number by which the usage on certain meters must be multiplied by to obtain the total usage