Uniondale, NY - April 29, 2016 - PSEG Long Island today released the Power Supply Charge for May. Effective tomorrow, the Power Supply Charge will be 6.2559 cents per kilowatt hour (kWh).
The Power Supply Charge for May remains virtually unchanged from the April Power Supply Charge. For the average PSEG Long Island customer with a household consumption of 775 kWh a month, the Power Supply Charge portion of the bill is only $0.28 more in May.
The monthly Power Supply Charge varies according to what it actually costs to produce the electricity used by PSEG Long Island’s customers and is impacted by market prices and weather, among other factors. Customers are only billed for what they use. The monthly Power Supply Charge portion of customers’ bills varies according to customers’ usage. On an annualized basis, the Power Supply Charge for PSEG Long Island’s customers over the last two years has been the least volatile among the major utilities in New York State.
“The largest factor in determining a customer’s bill is how much electric is used,” said Paul Napoli, PSEG Long Island’s vice president of Power Markets. “As the temperature rises, usage may increase and customers may experience higher electric bills. Customers can control their usage by participating in our energy efficiency programs and being conscientious of how they use energy.”
The following tips will help customers limit the impact of hot weather and better manage usage:
- Regular maintenance of central air conditioning units will help to insure the system runs efficiently. Keep the condenser unit coils and fins clean. Remove grass, leaves, and other debris that may collect. Keep shrubbery away from the unit to prevent it from blocking vents and reducing the unit’s ability to exhaust air.
- Keep your house warmer than normal when you are away, and lower the thermostat setting to 78° F only when you are at home and need cooling.
- Install a programmable thermostat.
- Use fans to circulate cool air.
- Set refrigerators and freezers to the most efficient temperatures. Recommended temperatures are 35-38° F for the fresh food compartment, and 0° F for freezers.
- Run such appliances as clothes washers and dishwashers in the morning or late evening to avoid the peak demand hours of 2:00 to 8:00 p.m.
- Seal holes and cracks around doors and windows. Eliminate air leaks around window air conditioners with foam insulation or weather-stripping.
- Close blinds and draperies facing the sun to keep out the sun’s heat.
- Turn off power sources. TVs, computers and other electronic devices draw power when they are in standby mode or turned off but still plugged in. Plug electronics into power strips and turn off the power switch when the items are not in use.
- Use timers and motion detectors on indoor and outdoor lighting.
PSEG Long Island customers are eligible to participate in programs to use less energy, which helps lower costs. Customers can take a quick online survey to see how much they can save by improving the energy efficiency of their home. For more information on efficiency programs and energy saving tips, visit PSEG Long Island.
Customers who want to ease fluctuations in monthly bill payment amounts may want to consider PSEG Long Island’s Balanced Billing program. The total annual cost for electricity will remain the same, but customers have the convenience of a more predictable monthly bill amount.
PSEG Long Island operates the Long Island Power Authority’s transmission and distribution system under a 12-year contract. PSEG Long Island is a subsidiary of Public Service Enterprise Group Incorporated (NYSE:PEG), a publicly traded diversified energy company with annual revenues of approximately $10.4 billion.