CLEAN ENERGY PROGRAM
(updated July 9, 2021) – Summer means vacations, time off from school and work, swimming, picnics…. and high electric bills.
Clarkstown residents and small businesses are eligible to participate in the Rockland Community Power clean energy program. This program helps the community transition to clean energy while also protecting consumers from rising energy costs.
In fact, since November, by the end of July, Rockland residents and small businesses in the six Rockland Community Power communities will have collectively saved $885,958.50.
As we move through the hot summer months, your electric bills will most likely go up, as you use air conditioning or fans.
If you are purchasing your electricity through the town’s clean energy program, then you are protected from rate increases over the summer, since the rates are fixed. Orange & Rockland prices are variable.
The amount of energy you consume will most likely go up. However, the rate or price per kilowatt hour stays the same in the town program.
Here are a few key (mostly free) ways to conserve both money and energy through the hot weather. When you save energy, you are also reducing your carbon footprint.
- Close windows and lower shades, blinds, and curtains on hot, sunny days. Raise shades and open windows after dark to let in cool evening air. Close your blinds facing up to keep the room cooler.Without window treatments covering the window during the day, your air conditioner is forced to work much harder.
- Avoid cooking with your oven on the hot days.Cooking with your oven will heat up your kitchen and make your air conditioner work harder.
- Maintain your air conditioners for maximum efficiency.Change your air filters regularly and vacuum the air intake vents to remove dust.
- Turn up the temperature by 2 degrees.Keep your space cool, not cold.If you have to put a sweater on, you are wasting money and energy.
- Turn down the thermostat while you are away.Lower the thermostat setting when you return home.Or install a smart thermostat that will do this for you.The U.S. Dept. of Energy recommends setting your AC to 78° when you are home, and 85° when you’re out, to cut your cooling bill by 10%.
- Resist the impulse to set your thermostat colder than needed when you first turn on your air conditioner. It will not cool your home any faster and will result in wasted energy and expense.
- Turn your water heater down to “vacation” setting when you go on vacation.
- Add a ceiling fan.If you use air conditioning, adding a ceiling fan will actually allow you to raise the thermostat setting on your AC by about 4 degrees Fahrenheit without changing your comfort level.
Learn more about how to save on summer energy costs at: https://www.energy.gov/energysaver/spring-and-summer-energy-saving-tips
Your Energy Choice: By now, each of you should have the energy option of your choice, whether it’s participation in the town program or opting out. If you were switched over, you should see Constellation NewEnergy CCA, the supplier for the RCP program, listed on the third page of your bill. If the option of your choice is not listed on your bill, please give us a call at 845 859-9099 option 1 or email info@RocklandCommunityPower.com. You can always join the program or opt out at any time and with no participation or exit fees.
Customer Assistance & Outreach: The helpline will continue for the life of the program, Monday to Friday, 9 to 5. You can also reach the Community Coordinator at Peggy@JouleCommunityPower.com or call 845 859-9099 option 1.
Rockland Community Power is a Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) program, a buying group through which Clarkstown residents and small businesses can purchase electricity sourced by clean energy. New York State promotes CCA in order to foster the growth of clean energy, lower costs, and strengthen consumer protection.
Rockland Community Power will include six communities: Clarkstown, Orangetown, and the villages of Haverstraw, Nyack, South Nyack, and Upper Nyack. This program offers the opportunity to transition to clean energy, helping to ensure cleaner air and a safer environment for our families, while also reducing costs.
Clarkstown has long been an environmental leader among communities in Rockland County. Now, along with five other municipalities, our community is leading the way to a greener and cheaper energy future. New York State has set ambitious goals to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions. Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) helps us take one big step toward meeting those goals and reducing our carbon footprint as a community, while also reducing costs.
The benefits of CCA include:
• Cost savings
• 100% renewable energy
• Consumer protection from predatory suppliers
• More community choice and more choice for individual consumers
Yes, you can always opt out of the program easily and at any time and with no penalty. If you are a current Orange & Rockland (O & R) customer, you should receive an official letter from your mayor early in October, welcoming you to the program. This letter will explain the program and will list your options. If you do nothing, you will be automatically transferred to the default community renewable energy program, which will start in November.
If you purchase your electricity supply from an alternative energy supplier and wish to participate in the CCA program, you will not get the mailing and will need to take a few simple steps to enroll. We recommend that you first check your supply contract or contact your supplier to determine whether you’ll be subject to an exit fee. If you would like to participate in the Rockland Community Power program, you will need to contact your current supplier to cancel your account – and then call the program hotline to enroll at (845) 859-9099.
You can expect a mailing this week from the town if you are an O & R supply customer. If not, you may call the number below if you want to participate. The program will launch in November.
For more information about Rockland Community Power or CCA, please visit www.RocklandCommunityPower.com or call (845) 859-9099. You can also contact your Community Coordinator at Peggy@JouleCommunityPower.com.
ROCKLAND COMMUNITY POWER UPDATE
Six Rockland municipalities – Clarkstown, Orangetown, and the Villages of Haverstraw, Nyack, South Nyack, and Upper Nyack – have founded a collaborative municipal energy program called Rockland Community Power. This program will make 100% renewable energy available to our community at lower cost, while also strengthening consumer protection.
In the midst of the pandemic and economic hard times, it’s good to have some ‘good news’ to share with our communities.
• We have created a program that makes renewable energy affordable to everyone.
• We project that together we will reduce our collective carbon footprint for all six communities by approximately 57,578 metric tons over two years. That’s the equivalent of taking 12,439 cars off the road for one year.
• Together we are providing much stronger consumer protection through the program. By negotiating as a collaborative group, we are able to provide low fixed rates and help constituents avoid predatory contracts.
Click HERE for News 12 coverage from October 14.
Program launch: Residents who did not opt out by October 28 will be moved into the program in November. Anyone can leave the program any time with no exit fee, but it will now take one billing cycle to move back to Orange & Rockland.
‘Switch letters’ from O&R in November: If you received a letter about the program from the town and did not opt out, you can expect to receive a ‘switch letter’ from Orange & Rockland over the next few weeks. The ‘switch letter’ notifies you that you are being switched to Rockland Community Power. We hope that you will take advantage of this town program. To learn more, please visit www.RocklandCommunityPower.com or call 845 859-9099.
Rockland Community Power virtual “office hours”: Please “drop by” online or call to discuss your questions and concerns. We’re here to help you understand your electric bill and your new options through your town program.
Virtual Office Hours for November
Monday mornings, 11 am to 12 pm and Wednesdays evenings, 7 to 8:00 pm
Join online: https://jouleassetsinc.my.webex.com/meet/info
Join by phone: 1-415-655-0001
Access code: 126 801 1932
Helpline: The Rockland Community Power program helpline is also available to answer your questions and to help you better understand your options. You can reach helpline staff at 845 859-9099, Monday to Friday 9 to 5, or at info@RocklandCommunityPower.com. The helpline will remain active for the life of the program.
We are proud of what we’ve achieved so far and look forward to adding on more initiatives through this program. We’ll continue to keep you updated.
