Long Island ULTIMATE Utilities Guide | 💡 PSEG Long Island Electric, National Grid Gas, Water, Internet & More
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Are you preparing for a big move? Relocating is hard enough with a long to-do list to take care of before you even start packing! This comprehensive guide to utilities on Long Island covers everything you need to know about setting up electric and gas service and average Long Island utility costs. Just be prepared for high utility bills after setting in!
Table of Contents
Important Information About Long Island Utilities
Before setting up utilities on Long Island, there are a few things you should know first.
Utilities on Long Island Are Expensive
New York already has the fifth most expensive utilities in the United States. The average New York resident pays $174 per month for electricity, $103 for natural gas, $61 for internet, and $40 for water. The Long Island cost of living is one of the highest in the U.S. and utilities play a big role. You’ll find utility consumption varies significantly throughout the year, especially when it comes to water. With cold winters and possible summer heat waves, your monthly utility bills can change significantly from one month to the next. Here are some tips for saving on utility bills on Long Island from the major utility companies.
Long Island Utility Deposits
Most utility companies are regulated by the Public Service Commission (PSC) and subject to HEFPA, a state law that requires fair consumer practices. New York law prohibits utility companies from requiring deposits except in limited circumstances. Even when a deposit is required, there are limits on the amount and conditions. The biggest exception is water companies. Small water companies are exempt from HEFPA, but they must still follow certain rules when it comes to deposits. Most Long Island residents are served by municipal water suppliers which aren’t governed by PSC and may charge deposits and other fees. You can learn more about your rights to utility service, deposits, and utility shut-offs from New York’s Utility Project.
Your Right to Choose Your Energy Suppliers
You also have the right to choose your electricity and natural gas supplier. This can potentially give you better pricing with a fixed or variable rate or power from renewable products. You can learn about natural gas supplier options and electric service suppliers.
Critics do say the Long Island Power Authority’s policies have limited supplier choices for Long Island residents. Even if you switch to an alternative power supplier, you must still pay the costs LIPA pays to maintain local power plants, even when you receive power from other plants.
Long Island Electric Company | PSEG Long Island & Municipal Utilities
Public Service Enterprise Group (PSEG) Long Island is the electricity company for Long Island. The utility is overseen by the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA). Note that three cities on Long Island have municipal electric providers:
- Rockville Centre Electric Department (Rockville Centre, Nassau County)
- Freeport Electric (Freeport, Nassau County)
- Fishers Island Electric Corporation (Fishers Island, Suffolk County)
Average Electric Bill on Long Island
What is the average electricity bill on Long Island? According to PSEG Long Island, the average customer uses 755 kilowatt-hours per month with an average cost of $162 per month. Your electric bill on Long Island has two major components:
- Delivery & System charges or the cost to bring electricity to you. These rates, which are basic service charges, are set by the LIPA.
- Power Supply charges or the cost of the electricity you use.
Your standard rate will depend on whether you use electricity for general use or whether you use electricity to heat your home. Here are residential electric rates for June 1 to September 30, 2021. For non-heating customers:
- Service charge: $0.440 per kWh
- Energy charge: $0.087 for the first 250 kWh
- $0.110 for the excess of 250 kWh
For heating customers:
- Service charge: $0.440 per kWh
- Energy charge: $0.087 for the first 250 kWh
- $0.110 for the next 150 kWh
- $0.110 for the excess of 400 kWh
Heating customers pay lower energy rates during the winter. A power supply charge is also added to your rate. For July 2021, this rate is $0.104 per kWh. This is the standard rate and based on market prices. The rate is higher or lower during super off peak, off peak, and peak times. Starting in 2021, PSEG Long Island customers with smart meters can choose Time of Use (TOU) pricing with four rates based on the time of day. You can learn more about Long Island electricity rates here.
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How to Start Electricity Service
You can’t start PSEG Long Island electricity service online. You will need to visit a PSEG Long Island Customer Service Center in person or call 1-800-490-0025.
PSEG Long Island Bill Pay
You can pay your PSEG Long Island bill in many ways:
- Pay online
- Pay by text by texting PAY to PSEGLI (773454)
- Pay with the PSEG Long Island app from an Apple or Android device
- Pay by phone by calling 1-800-490-0025
- Pay by mail by sending a money order or check to PSEG Long Island, P.O. Box 888, Hicksville, NY 11802
- Pay in person at a Customer Service Center or an Authorized Pay Station
PSEG Long Island Contact Info
- PSEG Long Island
- Address: 1650 Islip Ave, Brentwood, NY 11717
- Phone: (800) 490-0025
Long Island Gas Company | National Grid
National Grid is one of America’s largest investor-owned energy companies. They serve Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and New York including all of Long Island. National Grid is a UK-based utilities provider that also runs electric grids and distributes gas in England.
Average Gas Bill on Long Island
You can see National Grid gas rates here. The total effective monthly cost of natural gas on Long Island in July 2021 ranged from $0.344 to $0.479 per therm depending on service class. If you choose an alternate gas supplier, you will have a different rate for gas supply, but you will still pay National Grid gas delivery charges. The average customer uses 720 therms per month. That will give you an average monthly gas bill of $248 to $344.
How to Start Natural Gas Service
You can start gas service on Long Island online by clicking here. You will need to provide your Social Security number to start National Grid service. You can also call National Grid to start natural gas service at 1-800-930-5003. Submit your request for service at least seven days before your move-in date so a crew can be scheduled and dispatched.
National Grid Bill Pay
You have several options for paying your National Grid gas bill:
- Set up an online profile to pay online
- Pay by credit or debit card through Speedpay ($1.99 fee)
- Pay by phone by calling 1-800-930-5003 (fee applies)
- Pay in person at a National Grid or authorized payment location
- Mail a payment to National Grid, P.O. Box 11791, Newark, NJ 07101-4791
National Grid Contact Info
- National Grid
- Address: 1650 Islip Ave, Brentwood, NY 11717
- Phone: (800) 930-5003
Long Island Water Company | Suffolk County Water Authority (SCWA), Water Authority of Western Nassau County (WAWNC) & Municipal Water Districts
Long Island gets all its drinking water from groundwater aquifers. There are three major aquifers on Long Island that receive fresh water from the nearly 44” of annual rainfall. Nassau County and Suffolk County have their own water authorities. The Western Nassau County Water Authority serves:
- Town of Hempstead
- Town of North Hempstead
- Bellerose
- Floral Park
- New Hyde Park
- South Floral Park
- Stewart Manor
- Parts of Garden City, Valley Stream, Elmont, New Hyde Park, Floral Park Centre, North Valley Stream, and Franklin Square
If you live outside their service area, your water may be supplied by your town or village. The Village of Garden City is the water utility provider for most of the village with quarterly billing. The Oyster Bay Water District serves the Town of Oyster Bay in Nassau County.
Long Island Water Rates
What is the average water bill on Long Island? It depends where you live. The Water Authority of Western Nassau County, which serves the largest towns in Nassau County, has a minimum water bill of $59.31 with a rate of $5.424 per 1,000 gallons (first 135,000 gallons). There is a customer initial fee of $75 and a residential deposit of $50 ($200 for tenants) to start service. The final termination fee when you move is $75. If you live in Suffolk County, the SCWA has a quarterly service charge of $29.17. The standard water rate is $1.586 per CCF (748 gallons) or $2.12 per 1,000 gallons. The conservation water rate is $2.289 per CCF ($3.60/1,000 gallons) which affects customers who use more than 120 CCF during a single quarter.
How to Start Water Service
If you live in the service area of the Nassau County Water Authority, you can set up a water account by calling (516) 327-4100. If you live in Suffolk County, you can submit an application for water service with SCWA online by clicking here.
SCWA Water Bill Pay
You can pay your SCWA water bill in the following ways:
- Pay online
- Pay by phone by calling (631) 698-9500
- Pay in person at any Dollar General, Speedway, CVS, 7-Eleven, or Family Dollar with the Kubra EZ-PAY badge on the back of your bill
- Pay in person at the Customer Walk-In Center at 2045 Route 112, Suite 5, Coram, NY 11727
- Pay by mail by sending a check to SCWA, PO Box 9044, Hicksville, NY 11802-9044
- Pay at a designated pay station
WAWNC Water Bill Pay
Pay your water bill in the following ways:
- Pay online by e-check, credit or debit card, or ACH
- Pay by phone by calling 1-800-272-9829
- Pay by mail by sending a check made payable to WAWNC to Water Authority of Western Nassau County, PO Box 5600, New Hyde Park, NY 11042-5600
- Pay in person at 1580 Union Turnpike, New Hyde Park, NY 11040
SCWA Contact Info
- Suffolk County Water Authority
- Address: 4060 Sunrise Hwy, Oakdale, NY 11769
- Phone: (631) 698-9500
WAWNC Contact Info
- Water Authority of Western Nassau County
- Address: 1580 Union Tpke, New Hyde Park, NY 11040
- Phone: (516) 327-4100
Long Island Trash Service | Municipal Service
Trash service is handled by each city, town, or village on Long Island. Here is information on sanitation and recycling services for major towns and cities.
- Town of Hempstead Sanitation Department: (516) 378-4210
- Town of North Hempstead Solid Waste Management Authority: (516) 869-6311
- Oyster Bay Sanitary Collection Services Division: (516) 677-5848
- City of Glen Cove Public Works: (516) 676-4402
- City of Long Beach Sanitation Department: (516) 432-1000
- Smithtown Department of Environment and Waterways: (631) 360-7514
- Brookhaven Waste Management: (631) 451-8696
- Huntington Environmental Waste Management: (631) 351-3239
- Islip Public Works: (631) 224-5610
- Riverhead Sanitation Department: (631) 727-3200 ext. 391
- Babylon Sanitation Department: (631) 669-4878
- Southampton Waste Management Division: (631) 283-5210
Long Island Internet Service Providers
Looking for internet providers on Long Island? You can choose from the following ISPs:
- Verizon with 5G home internet (5G UWB), Fios (fiber internet), and high speed internet (DSL) with up to 940 Mbps
- Viasat satellite internet with up to 100 Mbps
- Spectrum with up to 200 Mbps
- HughesNet satellite internet with up to 20 Mbps
- RCN with up to 940 Mbps
Transferring or setting up your Long Island utilities is an important step to take ahead of moving day. Now that you know how to set up utilities, you can focus on the other items on your moving to-do list. Are you getting ready to relocate to or within Long Island? Count on the trusted Long Island movers at Zippboxx to take care of the hard work and logistics!