Uniondale, NY - August 31, 2015 - PSEG Long Island today released the Power Supply Charge for September. Effective tomorrow, the Power Supply Charge will be 7.6446 cents per kilowatt hour (kWh). 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 Power Supply Charge is a pass-through of fuel and purchased power costs,” said Paul Napoli, PSEG Long Island vice president of Power Markets. “The monthly Power Supply Charge varies according to what it actually costs to purchase the electricity used by PSEG Long Island’s customers and is impacted by market prices and weather, among other factors.”
The Power Supply Charge for September is 0.8688 cents per kWh more than last month’s 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 will increase $6.73. The change, which is in line with typical summer supply charges, is attributable to the normal monthly reconciliation of Power Supply Charge related accounts, including those for fuel price changes, carryover credits and/or debits, among other charges.
The largest factor in determining a customer’s bill is how much electricity is used. The following tips will help customers limit the impact of hot weather and better manage their usage:
- 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.
- 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.
- Replace old appliances with new energy efficient Energy Star® appliances.
- Install whole-house fans to bring in cooler night-time air that can pre-cool a house and reduce energy use in the daytime.
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 online.
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.