Monthly Meter Reading
Central Hudson has successfully transitioned customers in all of its operating districts away from estimated bills and to monthly meter readings.
Background on Estimated Billing
Prior to 2016, Central Hudson issued residential customers bi-monthly bills and read meters every other month. In 2016, state regulators required Central Hudson to issue monthly bills for most customers. The state approved a plan to issue residential bills monthly and read meters every other month (for the months between actual meter readings, a bill based on estimated usage was issued).
About the Transition to Monthly Meter Readings
We heard our customers and understood that the practice of bi-monthly estimates was a major pain point. Central Hudson agreed with our regulators on an implementation of monthly meter reading that involved a phased approach.
Converting customer accounts to a monthly meter reading routine required software work. Our approach of phasing in customers to a monthly reading routine – instead of switching all customers at once – helped mitigate complications.
We began transitioning customer accounts to monthly meter reading in September 2023. Customer accounts were converted based on location served. Customers in all districts were converted to monthly meter reading by September 2024 – more than a month ahead of the implementation schedule agreed to with state regulators.
| Timeline of conversion (subject to adjustment) | Impacted location | Completed |
| End of 2023 | Portion of Newburgh Division |  |
| Winter 2024 | Kingston Division | |
| Spring 2024 | Poughkeepsie Division, remaining Newburgh Division (accounts not included in 2023 phase), Catskill Division | |
| Summer 2024 | Fishkill Division | |
Customers received a notification by email (or USPS mail if there wasn't an email address on file associated with the impacted account) when it was time for their accounts to be converted. The transition did not require any action on the part of our customers. Once customers received notification that their account had been transitioned to receiving monthly readings, they were able to discontinue submitting their own readings on our website or mobile app.
Please note - estimated readings: Estimated readings may still be used in certain circumstances, such as instances where Central Hudson cannot access the meter to obtain a reading.
Please note - reading meters: Central Hudson uses a variety of meter reading devices and technologies to collect customer meter readings. While some meters need to be read visually by a meter reader, other meter readings can be obtained from a distance.
To our net-metered customers: Solar customer meters will be read every month - and will now receive a Central Hudson bill every month, transitioning away from bi-monthly bills. Any payment agreements or on-bill financing plans will now be accounted for on a monthly basis.
Monthly meter readings will provide confidence that bills align closely with actual usage on a monthly basis, and give customers a better understanding of energy usage and consumption patterns. Central Hudson is committed to continually improving our services to better meet our customers' needs.