Central Hudson Offers Options to Interact and Work With Utility

Customers who need to contact Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corporation to transact business or obtain information have a variety of options from which to choose. “Our customers lead active, busy lives, so we offer many options on how they may contact and work with us,” said Charles A. Freni, Senior Vice President of Customer Services. “Whether they have questions about opening new accounts, addressing the needs of the elderly, or even changing their own contact information, our customers can use the option that best suits their needs.”

Central Hudson’s Web site offers plenty of useful features allowing customers to handle simple tasks quickly and conveniently. The recently expanded Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section offers fast answers to the most popular topics. “We developed this FAQ to provide our customers with a comprehensive resource with answers to their most common inquiries,” said Freni. “It’s available at all hours of the day and night for the convenience of our customers, and addresses a wide range of topics for working and interacting with Central Hudson as well as other energy-related matters.”

Your Account is another popular Web feature, enabling customers to view their billing and payment histories, as well as review their energy usage and report a service interruption. Automated and electronic bill payment options are also available, eliminating the need for paper and postage. Customers may enroll in the Direct Pay program, where utility payments are made automatically from their bank accounts, or eBills Online, the Internet-based service permitting customers to receive and pay bills on-line.

For those interested in finding a retail supplier for electricity or natural gas, the Web site has a list of marketers registered to sell energy supply to Central Hudson’s customers under the section Customer Choice. Additional information on deregulation and competition is also provided here, as well as historical and current supply prices for electricity and natural gas.

Electricians, contractors and homeowners can download applications for new services, and customers can view sample bills for an explanation of line items. For those interested in learning better ways to manage their energy use, there is a section on Energy Conservation, and the Kids Corner feature offers information on electricity, natural gas and safety specifically for young students and their teachers. Also, a complete Investors Relations section provides information for investors on CH Energy Group stock, including recent financial reports (such as the latest Annual report), news releases and even a prospectus.

Central Hudson’s automated PowerLine offers customers even more options to interact by telephone. “Through our PowerLine, customers can access general account information, report a power outage, obtain outage restoration information, be connected to an operator to report a gas odor and even make a bill payment using their checking account number,” said Freni. “Of course, customers may always speak directly with a Customer Service Representative during normal business hours on Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Customers can also utilize the Virtual Hold feature to receive a call back at the telephone or cell number and time of their choosing during certain periods when call volume is high and Customer Service Representatives may not be immediately available.”

To use Central Hudson’s Web site, log onto www.CentralHudson.com. To use the PowerLine, call (845) 452-2700 or 1-800-527-2714.

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