General Payment Information for Central Hudson Users

Central Hudson wasn’t one electric or gas company, it was found after the merger of tens of companies in the New York State area after governmental interest. Currently, the Central Hudson Gas & Electric company has 309,000 electric and 84,000 natural gas customers, and over 10,000 miles of power lines.

All residents in the New York State and Hudson Valley area are free to choose their energy supplier. Central Hudson is a utility company, and its primary job is to deliver electricity and maintain power lines. You have to choose an energy service company (ESCO) that offers you the best rates and plans.

If you don’t choose an ESCO, you will be assigned to a default ESCO by the Public Service Commission of New York. However, the default rates may be relatively high. Therefore, it’s better to make a choice yourself. You can learn more about energy choice here.

Here’s a complete list of the energy services companies (ESCOs) and their rates.

You can compare the rates offered by ESCOs with the Price to Compare – the default price per kilowatt-hours. You can check out the default gas and electric supply prices here. Furthermore, if you want to learn more about your bill, you can check out this page. If you’re still confused about the rates and tariffs, you can surf through the resources here.

How to Pay Your Bill

There are six ways to pay your Central Hudson bill. You can change your payment method at any time.

1. Online: You can pay your Central Hudson energy bill online using your bank account or credit/debit card. You can make it easier to do if you opt for e-Bills.
2. Direct Pay: Enrolling in Direct Pay means that your monthly bill is automatically deducted from your bank account each month. You can learn more here.
3. In-Person: You can pay your bill in person at authorized payment centers, such as Price Chopper Supermarkets, Walmart, and Kmart locations. You can find a payment location near you here. Keep in mind that some of the payment centers may be temporarily unavailable due to the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19).
4. Pay by Mail: You can mail a check or money order to pay your bill.
5. Pay by Phone: You can pay your bill on the phone using your checking account or credit/debit card.
6. Pay by Text or Mobile App: You can pay your bill through text or mobile app using a checking account number.

You can learn more about billing and payment options here.

Does Central Hudson Have Payment Plan Options?

Central Hudson has several payment plan options for different customers. Here are five payment programs they currently offer.

1. Budget Billing: You can avoid seasonal fluctuations and pay the same monthly bill throughout the year with Budget Billing. Your average monthly amount depends on your historical usage, weather forecasts, and potential price changes. You can learn more here.
2. Time-of-Use Bulling: The Time-of-Use program reduces electric rates during off-peak hours and increases rates during peak hours. You can learn more about the program here.
3. Deferred Payment Agreement: You can pay your past-due account balance in monthly installments to avoid disconnection. You can request a Deferred Payment Agreement using this form.
4. Extra Security Plan: You can get extended billing due-dates if you’re on a fixed income, receive Social Security checks, or disability benefits. You can apply and learn about it here.
5. Payment Assistance: You can apply for several payment assistance programs if you’re having trouble paying your energy bill. You can apply for HEAP, the Bill Discount Program, Life Support Apparatus Program, the Good Neighbor Fund, and Help During Hospitalization program. You can learn more about payment assistance programs here.

Under special circumstances, you can apply for a Medical Emergency or Gift Certificates to help pay your bill.

How to Lower Your Central Hudson Bill

All Central Hudson customers are free to choose their energy supplier. You can choose from a list of certified ESCOs by comparing their rates and plans with the Price to Compare.

To make your life easier, you can use Arbor’s free TrueRate Protection to check if you’re getting the best rate against the Price to Compare.

Arbor scans the market and gives you the best rates you can get in your service territory with Central Hudson. When your term is expiring, Arbor finds the best rate and switches you again. You always pay the best rate and never have to worry about overpaying for electricity ever again.

You can use the free savings calculator to find out how much you could save in each case. Electricity payments can be complicated, that's why a lot of people trust Arbor to manage their electricity service, so they end up saving on their energy bills.

You can reduce your bill further by installing energy-saving upgrades in your home. You can check out Central Hudson’s store to go through some upgrades here. You can also get rebates on installing energy-efficiency upgrades. You can learn more about saving on your bill here.

Central Hudson Account Setup

To set up your Central Hudson account, you need to register on Central Hudson’s website.

Follow these steps to set up your new account.

1. Click on the Sign-In button on the top of the homepage and click the ‘Register’ button.
2. Enter your email, password, and nickname to continue.
3. Fill out your personal information and enter your Central Hudson account number and ZIP code.
4. Submit everything and continue, and you will receive an activation link on your email.
5. After clicking the activation email link, your account will be ready.

You can log in using your email address on the Sign-In page.

What to Do if There’s a Power Outage

If you’re facing a power outage, you should immediately report it here. You can also check the outage status. You can learn more about what to do during outages here.

If you’re wondering what other areas are affected by power outages, you can check out the outage map.

If you have a natural gas emergency, you should immediately call 911 or the gas odor hotline. You can learn more here.  

Central Hudson Customer Service

Central Hudson has several customer support options.

• Use the Contact Us page to make general inquiries.
• On the Contact Us page, choose a topic, and send an email to Central Hudson.
• You can follow Central Hudson on Facebook or Twitter for additional customer support and updates.
• You can set up text message alerts to receive notifications for outages and bill reminders. You can learn more here.
• You can get the Central Hudson mobile app support. You can learn more here.

It’s best to check out the FAQs before contacting a representative.

Central Hudson Phone Number and Contact Info

Here is some general contact information.

• Central Hudson’s Customer Service – 1-845-452-2700
• If Calling Beyond the 845 Area Code – 1-800-527-2714
• Commercial Speech/Hearing Impaired – TDD/TTY 711
• Contact Center – 1-845-486-5410
• Gas Odor Hotline – 1-800-942-8274
• Mailing Address – Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corp., 284 South Avenue, Poughkeepsie, NY 12601
• Other Address for Contact – 7964 Route 9W, Catskill, NY 12414

It’s best to call these numbers with your registered phone number.  

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