NEW YORK (PIX11) — Brace yourself, Con Edison customers.
The company projects that its average natural gas heating customer will pay an average of $418.77 a month from November 2022 through March 2023. That’s 20.5 percent more than the average bill of $347.53 a year earlier.
Higher bills will stick around for a while, according to company projections. The average New York City customer will pay about 16.3 percent more for electricity from November through March when compared to the same period in 2022 and 2023. The natural gas heating bill is expected to be 20.5 percent higher.
ConEd customers in Westchester County can also expect bigger bills. In December, they can expect a 19 percent higher electric bill and a 21 higher gas heating bill compared to last December.
Most of the increase in the natural gas cost comes from the supply cost, according to ConEd. The higher cost of gas also impacts the electricity bill; power generation plants in the area run mainly on natural gas.
ConEd shared some tips for customers to keep costs down. The utility said customers should set thermostats at the lowest comfortable temperature, noting “each degree lower decreases heating costs.”
The utility also advised:
- Make sure furniture doesn’t block heating vents
- Get heating systems inspected and cleaned by a qualified contractor
- Clean or replace hot-air furnace and heat-pump filters
- Make sure to insulate hot-water pipes and warm-air ducts that go through unheated areas
- Use LED bulbs, which are more energy efficient
