Winter Bill FAQs

Massena Electric purchases 100% of the electricity consumed by its customers, this includes a fixed allocation of hydroelectric power from the New York Power Authority (NYPA). Any power purchased above that allocation is supplemental or incremental power and is bought at market prices. The PPAC serves as a way to recover the cost of power purchased and is based on actual power related expenditures from the prior month.

The hydro allocation Massena Electric receives from NYPA accounts for roughly 70% of the power purchased annually to meet the needs of our customers. During heating months, the allocation accounts for less than 60% of the power needed, forcing Massena Electric to purchase more supplemental power, increasing the PPAC.

Power related expenditures during January 2026 exceeded $3.0 million which was more than double the amount from January 2025. To minimize the impact to February 2026 bills, Massena Electric received approval from its regulator to defer $998,000 in power costs to subsequent billing periods. The deferment resulted in a lower PPAC for February compared to what would have been charged if the full cost was included in the calculation.

A portion of the deferment, $337,700, was applied to the April calculation and in December 2026, the next month the Supplemental PPAC is billed, $112,570 will be included in the calculation. Including some of the deferred costs in the calculation for these months will result in a higher PPA compared to prior years. The PPA calculation for April, and the previous months can be viewed at massenaelectric.com/ppa.

Each year from December through April, residential customers that use more than 1,500 kilowatt hours (kWh) during the month are charged the Supplemental PPAC on usage above 1,500 kWh. The Supplemental PPAC was initially implemented in 2015 to allocate increases in power expenditures related to electric heat.

Costs associated with purchasing supplemental power are reflected in the Supplemental PPAC. The April calculation includes March power costs plus a portion of the deferred costs from January. Power related expenditures for March were

lower than previous months due to milder temperatures during the month. Supplemental energy rates averaged under $50.00 / MWh for March, down from over $100.00 /MWh during January and February. With the added cost related to the deferment from January, the Supplemental PPAC for April is under 9.0¢ per kWh. This is higher than in previous years. Compared to February and March, the Supplemental PPAC is over 2.0¢ per kWh lower. The PPA calculation for April, and the previous months can be viewed at massenaelectric.com/ppa.

Yes. Massena Electric has a budget billing program. This will not reduce the amount you owe. However, it will spread out these high heating bills over the course of the next several months. If you are interested in a levelized payment plan, call 315-764-0253 and ask about Budget Billing.

If you need assistance with your bill, you can contact HEAP (Home Energy Assistance Program) at 315-379-2303. This program is income based. Those that qualify can receive a regular heating benefit and an emergency benefit.

Small changes can help lower your bill (switch to LED bulbs, turn off lights, appliances, TVs and computers when not in use). Other changes may require more extensive work (insulating attic and walls). Massena Electric’s “Energy Makeover” program can assist you in identifying improvements to make your home or business more efficient. To get started call Massena Electric at 315-764-0253 or Energy Answers at 315-750-0226 to set up an Audit. There is no audit fee for residential customers. Audits for commercial customers and landlords are also available. The cost of these audits will vary.