Switch to eBills for a chance to win a smartphone, cell service payments
Make the smart move to Central Hudson's eBills between now and Sept. 15 and you will be entered into a drawing to win one of three new smartphones, along with a generous credit toward your cellular service plan. Value of the total package: $1,000! If we pick your name, you get to pick the smartphone model and service provider. The balance of the $1,000 prize will go to a gift card for phone service. Winners may opt to apply this credit to an existing plan with a cell phone service provider.
eBills is Central Hudson's paperless billing option. It allows you to securely receive, view and pay your bills online. It's convenient. It eliminates unnecessary paper waste. And studies show consumers who opt for electronic billing typically enjoy greater satisfaction than those who receive paper bills. Click here to learn more and enroll in eBills today.
IN THIS ISSUE
Win smartphone with eBills
President's Q&A
Power Breakfast
Efficient cooling rebates
Volunteers lauded
10 ways to cut costs
Summer safety tips
Facebook 500 winner
Q: Why does Central Hudson care so much about energy efficiency? Isn't that like the candy store owner advising customers to eat vegetables?
A: On the surface it may seem strange that Central Hudson would encourage energy efficiency. I'm often asked if the energy efficiency tips, reminders and rebates we offer run counter to Central Hudson's financial interests.
We believe it is important for Central Hudson to behave as a responsible neighbor with a reputation for doing what is right, and we believe that doing so is good business, too.
We take environmental protection seriously here at Central Hudson. This includes incentivizing and educating customers about energy conservation, as well as working hard to minimize our own environmental impact to preserve the natural beauty for which the Mid-Hudson Valley is famous.
And the truth is: our energy efficiency programs are extremely effective. From their launch in 2009 through this spring, our programs have saved more than 30 million kwh of electricity and 12 million cubic feet of natural gas. At the same time, our customers have saved $4.3 million on utility bills and prevented 32 million pounds of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere. Over that time, we have also properly recycled more than 4,000 refrigerators and freezers and more than 1,300 air conditioners.
From a financial perspective, it's important to remember that, since deregulation, Central Hudson no longer generates electricity aside from a few, small hydro-electric stations, and the company does not profit from excessive energy usage. Even though most customers' entire energy costs are reflected on their Central Hudson bill, about half of that amount – the supply portion of the bill, which corresponds with usage – is paid to the companies that generate the energy customers use. Central Hudson buys this energy as a service to our customers. We do not "mark up" or profit from those energy supply charges. In addition, energy conservation may help to forestall the need to build new facilities. When energy usage rises beyond the ability of existing equipment to handle the demand, we may need to make large expenditures to upgrade our energy infrastructure to continue to provide the service our customers expect.
Bottom line: energy efficiency is important to Central Hudson as a business and as your neighbor. And we will continue to advocate for energy efficiency and other environmentally sustainable policies.
New motto unveiled at 'Power Breakfast'
CH Energy Group, Inc., Chairman, President and CEO, Steven V. Lant, left, addresses community leaders at Central Hudson's 2011 "Power Breakfast."
Hot topics in the energy industry were the focus of Central Hudson's "Power Breakfast," in Poughkeepsie on June 22. Approximately 100 community leaders gathered to hear Steven V. Lant, Chairman of the Board, President and CEO of CH Energy Group, Inc., parent of Central Hudson, discuss Central Hudson's operations, accomplishments and initiatives. Lant addressed challenges in the energy industry, introduced the utility's new motto — "People. Power. Possibilities." — and took questions from the audience.
Lant shaped his presentation around the new motto, which appears on the official Central Hudson logo, emphasizing the utility’s mission to provide quality customer service and community support: People, the customers served by Central Hudson and the utility’s own employees; Power, the energy that facilitates the daily lives of each resident and the local economy; and Possibilities, the myriad exciting applications of electricity and natural gas technology in the 21st century.
“Critical to our future quality of life in the Hudson Valley is building a vibrant economy,” said Lant. “We actively support efforts to create and attract quality jobs in our region and we recognize the part we play by assuring adequate and competitively priced electric and natural gas service.”
He also spoke about community volunteerism among employees; economic development and energy efficiency initiatives; ongoing efforts to control costs; enhancements to service reliability; programs to protect the environment; and trends that will shape the future of electric and natural gas systems and usage. A video presentation highlighting an example of employees’ innovative use of technology, to improve electric service reliability at a lower cost, was also shown.
Lant concluded by recognizing the importance of regional cooperation. “To our motto, ‘People. Power. Possibilities,’ I’ll add another ‘P’ and that’s Partnership,” he said. “It’s vital for the success of our region.”
Cool savings: Get money back on a/c units
 With the purchase of an efficient air-source heat pump or central air conditioner. |
 When you upgrade to an Energy Star-rated room air conditioning unit (either through-the-wall or window style) and let us recycle your old one. |
Get rid of your old, energy-hogging air conditioner and start saving big. Central Hudson can help lower your monthly energy bills — and pay you to do it!
The efficient cooling rebate — worth up to $600 — is for Central Hudson residential electric customers who upgrade their cooling systems with an energy efficient central air conditioner or central air-source heat pump. Central air-source heat pumps are similar to central a/c systems in that they cool your house throughout the summer. The added bonus is that air-source heat pumps can work in reverse and heat your home during the spring and fall!
We’re also offering a $50 or $100 rebate to recycle old, working, room air conditioners (either through-the-wall or window type). The rebate is good toward the purchase of a new, Energy Star unit. The best part: we’ll properly recycle your old unit for free! The room air conditioner recycling rebate offer is good through Sept. 30, 2011.
Employees cited for community service
From left, Central Hudson employees David Dittmann, Joseph Croshier, Sandra Brady, Jocelyn Swart and Paul Tesoro were recognized for their volunteerism.
Five community organizations and employees of Central Hudson were honored on June 10 at the utility’s 22nd annual Community Service Awards. “Central Hudson employees volunteer in hundreds of ways with hundreds of organizations, but this year’s award winners stand out,” said Steven V. Lant, Chairman, President and CEO of CH Energy Group, Inc., Central Hudson’s parent company. “These organizations and volunteers provide valuable services in their communities.”
This year, recognized employees and the organizations they serve are: Manager of Reliability Compliance David Dittmann, volunteer and President of the Town of Poughkeepsie Little League; Manager of General Accounting Joseph Croshier, volunteer with the Dutchess County SPCA; Accounting Technician Sandra Brady, Board member and Treasurer for the Wappingers Falls Historical Society; Accounting Technician Jocelyn Swart, Committee Chair for Cub Scout Pack 70; and Director of Corporate Communications Paul Tesoro, Advisory Board member for the Food Bank of the Hudson Valley and Board Member of the Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York. Each recognized charitable organization received a $500 contribution from Central Hudson.
“Charitable contributions are important, but even more important is the time, skills and leadership that committed volunteers bring to their organizations to help achieve their important missions,” said Lant.
Since the Community Service Award Program was established in 1988, Central Hudson has recognized 110 employees and organizations with the honor. More than $50,000 in contributions have been donated to the recognized organizations.
More news about our people in your community:
10 energy efficiency tips for summer
July is here and the year's hottest days are upon us. You can keep your energy costs down, particularly in the summer months, by eliminating unnecessary usage. Remember: market demand for electricity rises with the temperature and electricity supply prices tend to increase with that demand. With that in mind, here are 10 tips to help you save on your energy bill this summer:
1. Close curtains
Shade your interior from the sun's heat by simply closing your curtains. Remember: south- and west-facing windows let in the most heat in summer. Pay special attention to windows on those sides of your home.
2. Cool your home in zones
A zoned air conditioning system has a series of dampers and controls installed in the ducts to prevent air from flowing to unoccupied areas. By contrast, standard, non-zoned duct systems direct cool air to all areas of your home whenever the AC system is operating.
3. Turn off/down the a/c when you're away
No need to waste valuable energy to cool a vacant home all day. Forgetful? Consider installing an inexpensive programmable thermostat to adjust central cooling (and heating) units at regular intervals.
4. Give your water heater a vacation, too
Water heating is one of the biggest energy users in a typical home. A standard water heater keeps hot water available at all times in its tank. If you are away from home for a couple of days or longer, turning off your water heater or setting its thermostat to "vacation mode" can save a considerable amount of energy and money.
5. Clean your air conditioner filter
A well-maintained unit requires less electricity to work properly.
6. Dry clothes outside
Use summer's heat to your energy advantage. A dryer will typically use about 20 percent of the total power consumed by household appliances. Hang-drying saves energy and can also reduce wear and tear on clothes.
7. Shut off (unnecessary) lights
Light bulbs, particularly the traditional incandescent type, can give off a significant amount of heat. Not only are they drawing energy, but they're forcing your cooling systems to work harder and draw more energy as well. With that in mind ...
8. Switch to CFL or LED bulbs
CFL (compact fluorescent) bulbs use up to 75 percent less energy and last 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs. CFLs only produce 35 percent of the heat of incandescent bulbs. LED (light emitting diode) bulbs are even more efficient. They use nearly 90 percent less energy, produce only 4 percent of the heat and last 50 times longer than incandescents. LEDs are still significantly more expensive up front than either incandescents or CFLs, but they have the lowest operating cost and longest life span. The price of LEDs has been dropping and will likely continue to decrease.
9. Use solar-powered outdoor lights
With solar-powered outdoor lighting you can enjoy the outdoors and keep walkways safely lit without adding any cost to your electric bill.
10. Upgrading? Utilize Central Hudson rebates
Central Hudson offers rebates to help you pay for certain energy efficiency upgrades. Cut your energy costs with a more energy efficient home by taking advantage of incentives like these:
• Replace your old room air conditioner with an Energy Star-rated model. Right now we'll recycle it and give you a rebate for $50 or $100.
• Install an efficient central air conditioning unit or central air-source heat pump and you could get a rebate worth up to $600 from Central Hudson and be in line for a $300 tax credit, too.
• Drafty house leaking out your cold air in summer and warm air in winter? Have your home professionally sealed and get a rebate of up to $600 from Central Hudson.
We also offer substantial rebates for
refrigerator recycling, heat pump water heaters and home heating equipment.
• Steer clear of downed power lines: Violent storms, lightning and high winds can blow up on many hot summer days, bringing the potential for downed power lines. If you see a downed power line, move away from it and anything touching it. The ground around power lines – up to 35 feet away – may be energized. Call Central Hudson immediately and we'll take care of the problem. Click here for additional guidance about what to do if you should ever see a fallen power line.
• Pools and electricity: Central Hudson technicians respond to a few calls every summer involving customers experiencing electric shock in or near their swimming pools. Swimming pool motors and filters must be properly grounded. Having them installed by a licensed, professional electrician ― and checked regularly ― will help ensure safety. Remember, NEVER build a swimming pool, shed or any other structure beneath a power line or anywhere on a utility right-of-way, including the line that leads to your home or building.
• Generator safety: If you have a generator to provide backup power in the event your electric service may be interrupted by a severe summer thunderstorm, click here for tips on making sure it is safely installed and operated.
• Be mindful of overhead lines while using outdoor tools: Doing outside work around your house? When using ladders or poles, be aware of overhead electric lines, including the line that leads to the house. Even a wooden ladder can conduct electricity with fatal results. Be very careful if there are electric lines above or near a swimming pool and you are working with long-handled tools.
Facebook $500 winner: The Queens Galley
Central Hudson employees, from left, Kevin Sheehan, Paul Tesoro and (fourth from left) Linda Harrison present the Facebook $500 check to Diane Reeder, Founder & Executive Director of The Queens Galley and members of her staff.
The Queens Galley, a non-profit organization in Kingston that provides food to the hungry, is the recipient of Central Hudson’s $500 Facebook promotion. This spring, Central Hudson held a contest to donate $500 to a Hudson Valley-based charity chosen by a randomly selected “fan” of Central Hudson’s Facebook page.
Central Hudson Facebook fan Diane Reeder won the random drawing. “Diane also happens to be the Founder and Executive Director of The Queens Galley, and understandably chose her organization as the recipient charity,” said Denise D. VanBuren, Corporate Secretary and Vice President of Corporate Communications for Central Hudson. “We congratulate Diane and The Queens Galley, and hope the contribution will provide needed funds to support the organization’s mission.”
The Queens Galley serves breakfast, lunch and dinner daily to any person seeking a meal. The food is prepared from all-natural ingredients, and served so that people may dine with dignity. Located on Washington Avenue in Kingston, The Queens Galley serves more than 9,000 meals each month, funded by donations alone.
For more information on the Queens Galley, visit www.QueensGalley.org. To view and "like" Central Hudson’s Facebook page, go to www.facebook.com/CentralHudson.Produced by the Corporate Communications Division
Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corp.
284 South Avenue
Poughkeepsie, NY, 12601
www.CentralHudson.com
Send questions and comments about PowerTalk to ptesoro@cenhud.com or chayes@cenhud.com.