Stop Unfair Con Edison Demand Delivery Charges: 

New Yorkers are paying unfair and confusing utility bills. Con Edison is charging people hundreds to thousands of dollars  extra each month through something called demand delivery charges. These charges can take a $300 electricity bill and turn it into $1,300, even when your actual usage stays low.

The Problem:

Supply charges go up and down with the market, but delivery charges are set by Con Edison and approved by the Public Service Commission (State Government). These are supposed to cover the wires, poles, and upkeep of the system.

The problem is how Con Edison figures out delivery. They either charge a very high price for every kilowatt-hour you use or they base it on your biggest 15-minute spike of the month. That spike usually happens when your air conditioner, heater, or other equipment turns on. Even though it lasts only a few minutes, it can set your delivery charge for the whole month.

So a short burst of electricity use can add hundreds of dollars to your bill, even if the rest of your usage is low. This makes delivery costs way higher and less fair than in many other states.

This current system:

• Makes Utility Bills  unfair
• Makes bills unpredictable and confusing
• Punishes normal equipment use
•  Discourages people from switching to cleaner energy like heat pumps or EV chargers

For small businesses and families, this is crushing!

How Delivery Charges Should Work and do work in Other Regions:

Most utilities charge for delivery in fairer ways:

•   Flat fee each month ($10–$40)
•  Fair Per kWh based pricing on how much electricity you actually use
• Time of use (a little more during peak hours, less at night)

Con Edison’s “demand charge” model was made for huge  factories, but now it’s hitting homes and small businesses, which can’t control short spikes in the same way.

What We’re Asking For…

We’re asking the New York State Public Service Commission to fix Con Edison’s broken system by:

1.  Use Monthly Averages Base charges on your average use, not your highest 15 minutes of kW
2. Protect Small Users: If you use less than 35 kW, charge a fair price for what you actually use (kWh)
3.  Make Demand Charges Optional. No one should be forced onto this system unless they choose it.
4.  If it’s applicable to use peak spikes, show the numbers clearly…We need transparency. Bills should say exactly when (time/date) the spike happened and how charges are calculated. This allows the customer to accurately monitor their kW output.

5. Fair Rate Classifications for Homes and Small Businesses
   Right now, small businesses and residences can be placed in the same rate class as massive industrial facilities, even though their energy use is nowhere near comparable. For example, a neighborhood business that hits a 10 kW peak should not be treated the same as a large factory with peaks of 500 kW or more. We are calling for more fair and appropriate classifications that separate homes and small users from heavy industrial users. This would prevent unfair overbilling and ensure customers are only compared to others with similar energy needs.

6. Access to Energy Audits. We should not have to fight with Con Ed to get them to take a look at their own equipment. We need Independent Oversight of Delivery Charges. To ensure true fairness, we also call for independent third-party monitoring of Con Edison’s billing practices. Currently, utilities calculate and report demand data themselves, leaving customers with little transparency or recourse. An independent monitor could verify demand readings, confirm that bills are calculated correctly, and ensure customers are placed in the right rate class (a huge problem because many people are often misclassified). This added accountability would protect residents and small businesses from overcharges, improve trust in the billing system, and guarantee that New Yorkers are not penalized for brief, unavoidable power spikes
7. Residential property owners should not be placed into commercial delivery classifications simply because they rent out residential homes or apartments. These are still residential properties, occupied by families, not factories or office buildings.

Why This Matters

Families shouldn’t pay double or triple their bill because of a short power spike or unfair delivery kWh price gouging. Small businesses shouldn’t be punished for keeping the lights on and the air safe. Fair billing means lower stress, stronger communities, and more people able to invest in clean energy.

Sign this petition to tell the New York State Public Service Commission:

Stop unfair Con Edison delivery charges. Make utility bills fair, simple, and transparent for all New Yorkers.

Join us in demanding that Con Edison reform its unfair demand delivery charges. By signing this petition, you can advocate for transparent and equitable utility billing in New York City, fostering a thriving community for all.