There are three primary drivers for the adjustment in rates:

• Inflationary rises in the cost of materials, equipment, and labor.

• Increased generation and transmission costs from our power supplier, Allegheny Electric Cooperative, Inc.

• Increased costs associated with vegetation management.

Please click on the links above to access the articles in Penn Lines for specific information.

Please visit our Tree Maintenance & Right of Way Information page to learn more about the use of the Accelerated Ash Removal Charge (AARC) rider.

• The cost-of-service charge will increase from $33 to $36.

• A $5.00 Accelerated Ash Removal Charge (AARC) rider will be added.

• The distribution charge will increase from 3.84 cents per kWh to 5.281 cents per kWh.

• The generation charge will increase from 6.155 cents per kWh to 7.673 cents per kWh.

The table below depicts how the rate changes will impact the monthly electric bill for the co-op residential, small commercial, and seasonal members based on varying monthly energy use:

Please click here to access a link to help you understand all the aspects that make up your monthly Claverack Electric bill. 

• 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 about the use of the Accelerated Ash Removal Charge (AARC) rider.

No. Increased rates are primarily due to the three primary factors listed above; namely increased generation costs, inflation, and additional vegetation expense. Our broadband operation is set up as a wholly-owned subsidiary of the cooperative in accordance with state law and cannot be subsidized by the electric consumers.

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.

Please contact our office at 1-800-326-9799 with any questions or concerns you may have. Please rest assured that we are doing everything we can to reduce costs and manage resources wisely while providing the electric service that you, our member-owners, deserve.