Central Hudson Gas & Electric Rate Selection Guide
Central Hudson Gas & Electric, a Fortis company, delivers electricity to roughly 321,000 customers across eight counties in New York's Hudson Valley. As a New York IOU, it operates regulated delivery service with competitive ESCO supply choice, and provides commercial data access through MyMeter benchmarking, an Energy Manager portal, and EDI 867 interval data for enrolled suppliers.
Central Hudson Gas & Electric Rate Schedule Comparison
| Schedule | Type | Rate | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| SC-2 | commercial | Customer charge + per-kWh delivery + demand $/kW (per P.S.C. No. 15) | Most commercial/SMB accounts on secondary service |
| SC-3 | industrial | Customer + demand + per-kWh delivery, primary voltage (per P.S.C. No. 15) | Large facilities with primary-metered service |
| SC-13 | industrial | Transmission/substation demand-based charges (per P.S.C. No. 15) | Largest loads served at 69 kV and above |
Market Overview
New York operates a retail-choice market. Central Hudson provides regulated delivery service under Schedule P.S.C. No. 15 – Electricity, with NY PSC-set delivery rates. Customers choose between a competitive ESCO for the supply portion or Central Hudson's default full-service supply at market-based prices.
Need to pull your actual usage data to compare rates? See the Central Hudson Gas & Electric Data Access Guide →
Current Rate Schedules
Central Hudson delivery rates are set by the NY PSC under Schedule P.S.C. No. 15 – Electricity, on a multi-year plan covering rate years ending June 30, 2026, 2027, and 2028 (new rate year began July 1, 2025). Commercial and industrial service falls under Service Classifications 2, 3, and 13. The supply portion is market-based (ESCO or default service) and not fixed in the delivery tariff. Verified delivery revenue increases were approved at +5.5% (yr1), +5.3% (yr2), and +5.3% (yr3); specific per-kWh and per-kW charges are published in the tariff schedule.
Effective: July 1, 2025 · Full Tariff Book →
| Schedule | Type | Applicability | Structure | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SC-2 General Service (Secondary) | commercial | Secondary single- or three-phase commercial service, with or without measured demand (demand classes including over 50 kW). | Monthly customer charge + per-kWh delivery + demand charge ($/kW) for metered-demand classes. Specific rates per P.S.C. No. 15. Supply via ESCO or default service. | — |
| SC-3 Large Power (Primary) | industrial | Large power customers taking primary-metered service, often with customer-owned transformer. | Customer charge + demand charge ($/kW) + per-kWh delivery; primary voltage discount. Charges per P.S.C. No. 15. | — |
| SC-13 Large Power (Transmission/Substation, 69 kV+) | industrial | Large power customers served at transmission or substation voltage of 69 kV and above; includes curtailable and hourly-pricing options. | Demand-driven charges with transmission/substation voltage levels; hourly pricing and curtailment provisions available. Charges per P.S.C. No. 15. | — |
| SC-2 Hourly Pricing (Special Provision 2.11) | commercial | Eligible secondary-demand commercial customers electing day-ahead hourly market supply pricing. | Delivery per SC-2 plus hourly market-indexed supply; requires interval metering. Per P.S.C. No. 15 Special Provision 2.11. | — |
| SC-5 / SC-8 Lighting Service | commercial | Area lighting and public street/highway lighting service. | Per-fixture or per-kWh lighting rates. Per P.S.C. No. 15. | — |
Rate Recommendations by Use Case
Small & mid-size commercial (SC-2)
Most commercial accounts take secondary service under SC-2. Manage metered demand and shop supply.
SC-2 covers secondary commercial service with and without measured demand; demand charges apply once metered demand thresholds are reached.
- Use MyMeter + ENERGY STAR to benchmark
- Track and shave monthly peak kW
- Compare ESCO offers vs. default supply
Large facility, primary service (SC-3)
Large primary-metered loads should optimize demand and consider customer-owned transformer discounts.
SC-3 applies to large power customers at primary voltage; demand charges dominate the delivery bill.
- Manage coincident peak demand
- Evaluate on-site generation/storage
- Use the Energy Manager portal for real-time demand tracking
Largest loads at transmission voltage (SC-13)
Facilities served at 69 kV+ can use curtailable and hourly-pricing options to manage cost.
SC-13 offers the lowest delivery voltage level plus curtailment/hourly provisions for the largest, most flexible loads.
- Evaluate curtailable service for incentive payments
- Consider hourly pricing if load is shiftable
- Coordinate interval data via EDI 867 for M&V
Energy consultants & aggregators
Use MyMeter third-party registration for benchmarking; pursue ESCO/EDI for interval data.
No public API exists; MyMeter and EDI 867 are the standardized data channels.
- Register as a MyMeter provider
- Partner with/become a licensed ESCO for interval data
- Use Nectar for API-based multi-utility data access — see docs.nectarclimate.com
Historical Rate Trends
In August 2025 the NY PSC approved a three-year rate plan (Joint Proposal) for Central Hudson covering rate years ending June 30, 2026/2027/2028, with the first new rate year starting July 1, 2025.
July 1, 2025
Rate year 1 of approved three-year plan: ~$29.7M electric delivery revenue increase (+5.5% delivery, +2.9% total).
+5.5%July 1, 2026
Rate year 2: ~$31.6M increase (+5.3% delivery, +2.9% total).
+5.3%July 1, 2027
Rate year 3: ~$34.5M increase (+5.3% delivery, +3.0% total).
+5.3%Overall trend: Rising — moderated delivery increases of roughly 5.3-5.5% per year through mid-2028.
Next expected change: Rate year 2 begins July 1, 2026 (~5.3% delivery increase).
Cost Optimization Strategies
Because Central Hudson C&I delivery is demand- and voltage-driven and supply is competitive, the biggest savings levers are peak-demand reduction, supply shopping, and voltage-level optimization.
Peak Demand Management
For: SC-2 (metered demand), SC-3, SC-13
Reduce coincident peak kW through load shifting, demand response, and on-site generation/storage to lower SC-2/SC-3/SC-13 demand charges.
Competitive Supply Shopping
For: All C&I
Compare licensed ESCO offers against Central Hudson default supply; lock fixed pricing to hedge volatility.
Hourly / Day-Ahead Pricing
For: SC-2 eligible, SC-3/SC-13 hourly options
Eligible flexible-load customers can elect hourly market pricing (Special Provision 2.11) to capture off-peak rates.
Voltage-Level Optimization
For: Large C&I
Large loads taking primary (SC-3) or transmission/substation (SC-13) service receive voltage discounts versus secondary.
To implement these strategies, you need your 15-minute interval data. Learn how to download Central Hudson Gas & Electric interval data →
Deregulated Market Shopping
Commercial and industrial customers in Central Hudson territory can shop for the energy-supply portion of their bill from a licensed ESCO while Central Hudson continues regulated delivery. The delivery charges (set by the NY PSC under P.S.C. No. 15) appear on the same bill regardless of supplier.
How to Compare Central Hudson Gas & Electric Suppliers
- 01Review Central Hudson's average utility supply rate as a benchmark
- 02Compare licensed ESCO offers (fixed vs. index)
- 03Confirm whether the ESCO bills via Central Hudson (consolidated) or separately
- 04Enroll; the ESCO submits an EDI 814 enrollment
Contract Terms for Central Hudson Gas & Electric Supply Agreements
- Fixed-rate terms commonly 6-36 months
- Index/variable products tied to wholesale energy
- Watch for early-termination fees and renewal auto-rollover
Common Pitfalls When Shopping Central Hudson Gas & Electric Rates
- Variable-rate teaser pricing that resets after intro period
- Auto-renewal into higher month-to-month rates
- Confirm delivery charges are unaffected by supplier choice
Frequently Asked Questions
Can my business get 15-minute interval data directly from Central Hudson?▾
Not through the standard portal. AMI meters capture 15-minute data, but retail customers cannot self-serve it. C&I customers can use the Energy Manager (PowerPortal) for near-real-time consumption, or switch to an ESCO that retrieves interval data via EDI 867. Green Button Connect My Data is not yet available.
How does a consultant or energy manager access our building's usage?▾
Register as a third-party provider in the MyMeter benchmarking portal (https://benchmarking.cenhud.com/) and obtain the building owner's authorization. MyMeter provides aggregated monthly usage and ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager export, but not interval data.
Is Central Hudson supply price regulated?▾
No. New York is a retail-choice market. Central Hudson's delivery charges are regulated by the NY PSC under Schedule P.S.C. No. 15, but the supply (energy) portion can be purchased from a competitive ESCO or taken as Central Hudson default full-service supply at market-based prices.
How do we get interval data for an ESCO or M&V project?▾
Enroll as (or partner with) a licensed NY ESCO, complete EDI testing with Central Hudson, and submit 867 transactions specifying the POD ID, date range, and interval granularity. Most usage data is returned within one business day.
Which rate schedules apply to commercial and industrial accounts?▾
Secondary commercial demand and non-demand service falls under Service Classification No. 2; large primary-metered power under SC-3; large transmission/substation service (69 kV+) under SC-13. See Schedule P.S.C. No. 15 for current charges.
Automate Central Hudson Gas & Electric Rate Analysis with Nectar
Nectar continuously monitors your Central Hudson Gas & Electric rate options and alerts you when a better schedule is available. Save 10-30% on energy costs.
Nectar for Energy & Sustainability Teams
Managing utility costs for commercial or industrial buildings? Nectar offers a free rate analysis — we'll review your current rate schedules and identify where switching tariffs or shifting load can save 10-30%.
Get a Free Rate AnalysisNectar for Energy Brokers & Consultants
Advising clients on rate optimization? Nectar works with energy consultants who need reliable interval data and automated rate comparison tools.
Partner with Us