Rates

At Claverack Rural Electric Cooperative (REC), we constantly monitor our costs to ensure we are financially healthy and well-positioned to deliver on our mission to provide our members with safe, reliable, and affordable power. Your cooperative has advantages that investor-owned utilities do not, which help to safeguard our rates. Despite our diligent efforts, Claverack REC members will see a modest increase in their electric rates beginning with the February bill for January usage.

Generation

Generation prices for customers of investor-owned utilities are expected to rise dramatically in 2025 due to an increase of more than 800% in the open market cost of electric capacity in our region. Claverack REC, along with the other 13 electric distribution cooperatives in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, has ownership in generation assets like the Susquehanna Nuclear Station and Raystown Hydroelectric facility through Allegheny Electric Cooperative. This strong partnership and investment portfolio allows us to supply approximately 65% of our power supply needs. This generation ownership limits our exposure to the market and helps mitigate cost increases. Fortunately, while the generation portion of the bill for a typical Claverack REC residential member will increase by approximately 9% in 2025, Claverack REC members will not be exposed to the dramatic impacts that investor-owned utility customers will experience.

Distribution

In addition to power supply costs, we recently evaluated the cost of delivering power to our members, which is covered by the distribution portion of your bill. In 2025, Claverack REC’s service and energy rates will increase slightly due to ongoing investments in infrastructure and operational needs amid high industry prices. However, this increase is largely offset by the removal of the Accelerated Ash Removal Charge (AARC) rider at the end of 2024. This temporary surcharge, which funded the removal of dead and dying ash trees threatening our electric lines, was charged for the final time on the January bill for December 2024 usage. 

Overall Impact

Considering both the adjustments in generation and distribution costs, the average Claverack REC residential member can expect an approximate 4% increase in their overall electric bill in 2025. We understand that any cost increase impacts our members. We are committed to minimizing these effects while ensuring the reliability and sustainability of our service and making prudent investments in our system to benefit our members.

More information about what is in store for 2025 can be found in our January Penn Lines. Click here to access.

• Carefully evaluating all of our expenditures to be sure they are necessary or beneficial and contribute to our mission to provide safe, reliable, affordable electricity to our members.

• Reusing and refurbishing equipment like transformers, reclosers, and regulators rather than buying new.

• Regularly reviewing staffing and equipment needs to be sure we are right-sized and properly equipped to fulfill our mission.

• Smartly investing in new technologies and methods to improve efficiency and reduce costs. Examples include our utilization of new technology to test pole infrastructure, use of drones for pole and vegetation surveys and storm/outage patrolling, implementation of improved work management systems to streamline efficiencies for outside crews, and our Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) which reduces field visits and associated costs and assists with outage management.

• Enhancing our investment in vegetation management to reduce the number and duration of outages and the costly expense of restoring outages and repairing damage. Please visit our Tree Maintenance and Right of Way Information page to learn more.

Claverack REC’s electric service rates are very competitive when compared to surrounding electric service providers. In a recent comparison of the cost of electric service for the average Claverack residential member (approximately 960 kWh monthly), Claverack’s total cost was second lowest overall when compared to our two nearest large investor-owned utilities and four other nearby Pennsylvania electric cooperatives.

Members can reduce their monthly bills by reducing electric use and using electricity more efficiently. A few ways that we can help:

• Set up your SmartHub account - this secure online tool allows you to track your energy consumption, get detailed graphs on usage, and much more. Click here to go to the SmartHub login page or download the SmartHub app to your mobile device.
• Access a wealth of energy efficiency information on our website using this link: Touchstone Energy Savings | Claverack Rural Electric Cooperative, Inc
• Watch our website and Facebook pages for the Energy Efficiency Tip of the Month and other helpful ideas.

If you think your bill is much higher than you expected, please visit this page: High Bill Concerns | Claverack Rural Electric Cooperative, Inc

• Levelized billing - please see this link on our website for details: Levelized Billing | Claverack Rural Electric Cooperative, Inc

• Payment arrangement plans - members who are behind on their electric bills can catch up on past-due bills over a specific period of time by entering into a payment arrangement plan with the cooperative.

• Claverack H.O.P.E - This program provides assistance to eligible members struggling to pay their electric bills. Donations from Operation Round-Up, our member-to-member program, as well as escheats monies from unclaimed capital credits, comprise this fund. Claverack has partnered with Trehab Community Services to administer this program.

• Emergency financial assistance - Claverack can direct members to outside sources to assist with energy costs. Assistance may be available through the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), as well as various agencies and organizations based in the county in which a member resides.

Please contact our office directly during business hours (Monday-Friday, 7:30 am-4:00 pm) at 1-800-326-9799 to discuss the above options.