As the annual renewal for the Sustainable Westchester energy program approaches, a large increase in their electricity rates may push many residents to opt-out of this green energy plan.
What is Sustainable Westchester?
There exists a statewide effort to boost renewable energy production and reduce reliance on natural gas. As such, local governments joined forces to purchase bulk renewable energy through the non-profit organization, Sustainable Westchester. This organization relies on the purchasing power of large municipalities like Yonkers to secure the lowest fixed price rate throughout the year-long duration of a contract. While the goal is to provide energy from a mix of renewable sources, traditional “dirty” energy may also supplement the supply.
In it’s inaugural year, controversy erupted over this program when residents discovered that the City automatically enrolled them with little notification apart from a letter appearing like junk mail. While residents are free to opt-out and re-join at-will, the City, and by extension Sustainable Westchester, rely on as many participating homes as possible to generate demand and downward pressure on pricing.
At the very start of this year, The Yonkers Ledger analyzed the efficacy of the Sustainable Westchester program. At that time, with only the first six months of data, there appeared to be a small savings to customers. This savings came from the fixed rate price being determined before global factors like the war in Ukraine skyrocketed energy costs. However, seeing that neighboring towns like Greenburgh were hit with big increases in their subsequent contract renewals, an increase for Yonkers appeared destined during their own impending renewal at the end of 2023.
What are the new rates?
The new contract pricing takes effect in December, 2023. And with it comes a 46% increase in the cost of their fully renewable energy offering. The existing energy plan of 100% renewable supply costs 0.09474¢/kWh, but now this cost has risen to 0.13800/kWh. Sustainable Westchester also offers a slightly cheaper 50% renewably-sourced plan as its new default. A comparison of the 12-month average for Con Edison vs the Sustainable Westchester plans is displayed below.
| Product | Cost |
|---|---|
| Con Edison Average | $0.09863/kWh |
| SW 50% Renewable | $0.12450/kWh |
| SW 100% Renewable | $0.13800/kWh |
Keep or opt-out?
If you’re still unsure about whether participate in this program, there are many more resources that can help you decide. Firstly, you can visit the website here: https://sustainablewestchester.org for full information about Sustainable Westchester. Additionally, officials encourage the public to attend a question and answer session at the Grinton I. Will Library on October 23 at 6:30 pm.
If you wish to opt-out, there are a few ways to do that as well. You may have received a letter from the City of Yonkers with information on the upcoming changes. This letter contained an opt-out form that can be returned. Alternatively, you can call Sustainable Westchester at 914-242-4725 or visit https://sustainablewestchester.org/wp/yonkers-pre-enroll/ . Lastly, a call to Con Edison can also prevent your enrollment in this program.
