Compare the Best Central Hudson Electric & Gas Energy Rates

What Are Central Hudson PTC Charges?

When deregulation began in New York, all utilities that wanted to participate in consumer choice had to sell off their generators and limit their business to energy delivery. However, the NY PSC requires these utilities to provide electricity supply at a default rate to customers in their service territory who don't shop for a retail supplier. As a result, these utilities must purchase their electricity supply for the default rate from generator companies.

The NY PSC oversees Central Hudson's default service rates since these represent generation supply costs that are passed directly through the utility onto their customers without mark up. This default rate is also called the "Price to Compare" or PTC.

Price to Compare (PTC)

The PTC default rate represents the actual price (generation + transmission) the utility pays for the electricity. In other words, it not only includes the generator company's price for making the electricity but also the cost to transmit it from power stations over high tension power lines to Central Hudson's local electrical switch yards. From there, the electricity is distributed throughout the Central Hudson local electrical grid for delivery to homes.

Central Hudson's PTC rate is composed of the Supply charge. This rate is based upon market conditions during the billing period and will vary depending on where you live or do business. It changes monthly. There are also other charges which include the Merchant Function Charge, the Clean Energy Standard Supply Surcharge, the Electricity Supply Reconciliation Mechanism, and other surcharges.

Because electricity demand fluctuates due to seasonal weather, Central Hudson's Supply charge rates can vary seasonally; low some months, higher the next -- especially in summer when air conditioning usage can soar. You can never be too sure what you'll pay from one mnth to the next.

Central Hudson Current PTC Standard Residential Rate:

How Much Do Central Hudson Charges Cost?

The US Energy Information Agency reports that in 2019 New York State's residential customers used an average of about 577 kWh each month.

Therefore, an average residential PTC bill roughly breaks down like this:

How to Start New Central Hudson Service

Getting set up with Central Hudson is easy and convenient. Just visit the Central Hudson web site to start your electric service. If you don't have an account, you can start one there and then follow the prompts to set up your service.

Customers can also apply to start service by calling Central Hudson customer service (1-845-452-2700).

Be ready to supply:

• Service Address: The address where you want your service turned on or switched.
• The start date for electricity service.
• Personal Information: You will need to provide a valid form of identification (such as a driver's license or credit card) to validate your name and prior address. Otherwise, you will need to pay a deposit.
• The utility may also require proof of your occupancy date for service and ask you for a copy of your lease or deed.

Applicants for electric service must have paid in full all bills on their past Central Hudson accounts or agree to a deferred-payment plan before a new account can be opened. Central Hudson will notify you by letter within three business days after receiving your application if it has been denied. The letter will state the reason(s) for denial, exactly what you must do to be approved.

Will I Need to Pay a Deposit?

In New York, no utility can require any new residential customer to pay a security deposit as a condition of receiving utility service. The saem applies to anyone over 62 year old. Lastly, if you receive public assistance, you will not need to pay a deposit.

However, the utility can require a deposit if:

• You're new seasonal or short-term customer.
• You are applying for a new Central Hudson account within 60 days of closing an old account and the bill you get once every two months is 50 days overdue, and you have not paid at least one-half of what you owe.
• You were previously disconnected during the past six months.

Note: If you're aged 62 or older or you are receiving public assistance, supplemental security income, or additional state payments then you will not need to pay a deposit.

If you must pay a deposit -- Central Hudson must notify you in writing within 3 business days about the specific reasons why you are required to pay a security deposit. NY law states that deposits cannot be greater than an estimated two months usage.

Customers have 20 days after the utilty sends the deposity request notification to make a payment. However, customers can pay the full deposit in installments over a 12 month period. Central Hudson can hold deposits for residential service for 12 months. If the customer pays their bill in full and on time for 12 consecutive months, the deposit will earn interest.

Understand New York Energy Choice

New York electric consumers are free to choose to buy electricity from Energy Service Companies (ESCOs). These alternative suppliers shop deals with different electricity generators on the wholesale market to offer competitive rates. As such, their rates are not controlled by NY PSC nor do they include the same complicated supply surcharges that Central Hudson does in its monthly PTC rate. This way, ESCOs are able to offer competitively priced fixed rate plans for a variety of term lengths.

Though it can seem confusing, shopping electricity plans is an easy process. The trick is finding the one that meets your needs. That's why retail energy suppliers in New York offer two types of plans:

Understand Your Central Hudson Bill

Your Central Hudson bill contains many details that can be confusing to customers. But there's lots of useful information to help you better understand your usage and rate. Below, we break down the most important items on a sample Central Hudson Electric bill.

Central Hudson Sample Bill

A: Account Number. This shows your 11 digit Central Hudson account number.





B: Central Hudson Contact Info. To the right is the mailing address Central Hudson. To the left are other ways you can contact the utility for billing questions, or to report an outage or other emergency.





C: Central Hudson Bill Summary. This section shows your previous charges, previous payment, and your current charges for Central Hudson.





D: Provider Bill Summary. This section shows your previous charges, previous payment, and your current charges for your electricity supplier.





E: Total Amount Due. Here you can find the total amount for all charges due for the current billing period. It also shows the date when late charges will be added and the next scheduled meter reading date.





F: Usage Information. To the left, a diagram displays how much of your total bill went to your electric supply charges and delivery charges. To the right, it lists your electricity and natural gas usage for the current year and the previous year and compares your usage amounts to heating degree days. This way, you get an idea of how much energy your home uses for heating. This can be very helpful in planning your budget when you shop for retail energy plans.





G: Ways to Pay. This lists convenient ways you can pay your Central Hudson Bill. Some methods may require you to pay fees.





H: Payment Stub Message Section. This section shows important messages from Central Hudson, including the minimum payment amount due for your current bill.





I: Payment Stub Amount Due. This section includes your customer account number and summarizes the total amount due for the current billing period. It also shows the date that late charges will take effect if the bill has not been paid by then.





J: Payment Stub Mailing Address. This section shows the service address and the mailing addres to return this stub with your payment if you pay Central Hudson by mail.

Understand Central Hudson Zone Charges

New York State is a complicated place to supply and distribute electricity. For the that reason, the New York Independent System Operator (NYISO) operates New York's bulk electricity grid, administers the state's wholesale electricity markets, and provides comprehensive reliability planning for the state's bulk electricity system.

To keep the power flowing smoothly all across New York State, NYSIO has divided it into 11 load zones, labeled A through K.

These load zones directly affect your electricity rates:

• New York electric utilities can operate in more than one load zone. For example, Central Hudson serves zones F and G.
• Both supply and delivery rates can be different in each zone. That means the rates you pay for your electricity will depend on which zone you live in.

Central Hudson Coupons, Energy Promotions, Discounts, Rebates and Promo Codes

As your local electric utility, Central Hudson offers several rebate and energy efficiency programs to help customers save money off their monthly bill by upgrading their home's energy performance. Some programs also offer money-saving incentives while others could make paying your monthly bills much easier during those expensive winter and summer months.