National Grid is telling its upstate New York customers to prepare for rising residential electric costs, while residential natural gas bills are expected to edge down slightly.
In practical terms, many households will spend more on power during the five-month heating season, even if other parts of the utility bill show a small decrease.
Here's what to know
According to NNY360, electricity bills are projected to rise about 3% to 5% for upstate residential customers during the five-month heating season.
That adds $22 to $39 over the season, with totals varying by region.
Gas bills are forecast to move in the opposite direction. According to National Grid, a typical residential customer who uses 713 therms would spend about $9 less.
So while electricity is expected to cost more over the season, the projected relief for gas customers is comparatively small.
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More background
National Grid said the electric increase won't look the same everywhere, as the extra cost is expected to differ by region.
That means some households are likely to see bigger electric increases than others, even though they all get service from the same utility.
The roughly $9 gas savings estimate assumes a typical residential customer uses an average of 713 therms, and a household's actual winter bill will vary with its energy use.
Where can I learn more?
For more context on what's driving electricity costs, these stories look at other pressures affecting power bills. They cover data centers, transmission spending, and demand from crypto mining.
• Across the U.S., electricity tariffs for mega-data centers are reshaping how utilities charge major power users.
• Utilities are channeling money from electricity bills into regional transmission lines and related projects.
• In the U.S. West South Central region, cryptocurrency mining demand has pushed electricity prices higher.
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