Summer is coming, and so is a higher electric bill. Con Edison secured rate increases for 2026, and with the city heading into air conditioning season, New Yorkers need to know exactly what’s changing — and what programs exist right now to offset those costs.
What the ConEd Rate Increase Actually Means for You
After a contentious rate case that drew pushback from Governor Hochul and state legislators, Con Edison ultimately secured a more modest increase than originally requested. The final approved rates translate to:
- Electric delivery: A roughly 3.9% increase for residential customers. For a typical NYC apartment using approximately 280 kilowatt hours per month, that’s about $4 more per month in delivery charges alone — before supply costs, per Con Edison’s 2026 rate filing.
- Gas delivery: A 4.4% increase. NYC residential gas customers using 100 therms per month will see bills rise by approximately $10.67/month, according to rate case filings.
These are delivery charge increases — the portion of your bill for ConEd moving energy to your building. Your supply charge (what you pay for the energy itself) fluctuates separately. Combined, bills for typical customers are climbing, and summer AC usage will compound that significantly.
One wrinkle to watch: Con Edison delayed finalizing some 2026 rates into the new year, which means some customers may see a back-payment adjustment on their 2026 bills to cover the period when lower interim rates were in effect. Check your bill’s “rate adjustment” line carefully.
The HEAP Cooling Assistance Program Opens April 15
Here is the most important date in this article: April 15, 2026. That’s when New York State’s HEAP Cooling Assistance benefit is scheduled to open for applications.
This program provides a free air conditioner or fan — up to $800 for a window or portable unit (including installation), or up to $1,000 for a wall-sleeve installation — to households that qualify. This is not a loan. It’s a direct benefit.
Who qualifies?
To be eligible for HEAP Cooling Assistance, your household generally must:
- Have a monthly income at or below the HEAP income guidelines for your household size (or be receiving certain public benefits like SNAP, SSI, or public assistance — these households are often automatically income-eligible)
- Have someone in the household with a documented medical condition made worse by extreme heat, verified in writing by a licensed medical provider (doctor, PA, or nurse practitioner)
- Be a U.S. citizen or qualified non-citizen
- Not currently have a working air conditioner, or have one that is at least five years old
- Not have received a HEAP-funded air conditioner within the past five years
The medical requirement is real — you’ll need documentation. But if you or a family member has asthma, heart disease, diabetes, or another condition that heat worsens, getting that letter from your provider before April 15 means you can apply the first day.
How to apply
Call 718-557-1399 — this is the NYC HRA HEAP line. You can also apply through ACCESS NYC or through the state at ny.gov/services/apply-cooling-assistance.
In-person assistance is available at HRA Job Centers across all five boroughs. Walk-ins are accepted, though bringing documentation (proof of income, ID, medical letter) speeds the process significantly.
Con Edison’s Energy Affordability Program (EAP)
Even outside HEAP, ConEd’s own Energy Affordability Program provides ongoing bill discounts for income-qualifying customers. The expanded EAP that took effect in early 2026 has broader eligibility than the previous version — meaning some customers who applied and were denied before may now qualify.
EAP provides a fixed monthly credit on your bill, which can meaningfully reduce what you owe each month regardless of season. Eligibility is based on household income relative to the Federal Poverty Level. Apply at coned.com or call ConEd at 1-800-752-6633.
Other Bill-Reduction Moves to Make Before Summer
Shop your electricity supply. Con Edison is your delivery utility — you don’t have to buy your electricity supply from them. Registered Energy Service Companies (ESCOs) sometimes offer competitive supply rates, but be careful: many ESCOs use variable rates that spike in summer. If you do switch, choose one with a fixed-rate contract. Compare at chooseny.com (the official NY PSC comparison tool).
Enroll in Budget Billing. ConEd’s Budget Billing spreads your estimated annual usage evenly across 12 months, so you don’t get slammed with a $300 August electric bill. Enroll at coned.com or by calling customer service.
Check for regular HEAP/LIHEAP credits. Even if you don’t qualify for cooling assistance specifically, the regular HEAP benefit (for heating costs) may have issued you a credit earlier this season that reduces your balance. Check your ConEd account for any applied credits through NYC HRA’s Energy Assistance page.
Request a payment agreement if you’re behind. If you’ve accumulated a ConEd balance you can’t pay in one shot, call 1-800-752-6633 and ask for a payment agreement. ConEd is required by the NY PSC to offer reasonable payment plans, and they cannot shut off service for nonpayment without proper notice and process — especially during extreme weather periods.
Action Steps
- Get your HEAP Cooling Assistance medical letter now: Ask your doctor, PA, or nurse practitioner to document a heat-sensitive condition before April 15
- Apply starting April 15: Call 718-557-1399 or apply at access.nyc.gov/programs/cooling-assistance-benefit/
- Apply for ConEd’s Energy Affordability Program: coned.com or 1-800-752-6633
- Compare electricity supply rates: chooseny.com (NY PSC official tool)
- Sign up for Budget Billing: coned.com/en/accounts-billing/billing-payment/budget-billing
- Review your bill for the rate adjustment line: Unexpected charges may be ConEd’s back-billing — call them to confirm and set up a payment plan if needed
Your ConEd bill is going up whether you like it or not. But New York has real programs to soften that blow — and the window to act on the biggest one opens in one week.
